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Rockstar's $400 GTA VI Collector's Edition Omits the Game
Rockstar has announced a $399.99 collector's edition for Grand Theft Auto VI that contains memorabilia but no copy of the game, following its decision to abandon physical discs.
By Charlotte Redford · 3 min read
Rockstar Games has unveiled a collector's edition for Grand Theft Auto VI priced at $399.99 that does not include a copy of the game, a decision likely to test the patience of even the most devoted fans of the franchise.
The "GTA VI: The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection" is being marketed as a deluxe compilation of Vice City-inspired memorabilia. Buyers will receive a pair of Oakley sunglasses, a cap, a bobblehead of a Vice City mascot, a shot glass, a crossbody bag, a keychain, a swizzle spoon, a magnetic mirror, stickers, pins and a map of Leonida, the fictional county in which the game is set. What they will not receive is a download code or any digital copy of the game itself. Those hoping to play will need to spend a further $79.99 for the standard edition or $99.00 for the Ultimate edition.
The move follows Rockstar's announcement in August that GTA VI would be the first high-profile AAA title to go digital only, with no physical disc release. Physical copies sold at retailers will contain only a code in a box. The publisher's chief executive, Strauss Zelnick, defended the shift by arguing that discs "don't really make sense for the consumer." The announcement drew considerable backlash from gamers who value physical media, and the collector's edition pricing is likely to intensify that criticism.
This is not the first time Rockstar has sold a premium package without the game. In 2018, the Red Dead Redemption 2 Collector's Box also shipped without a copy of the game, though it was priced at just $99 — less than a quarter of the new GTA VI collection. Those boxes now change hands on eBay for upwards of $700, suggesting that scarcity and nostalgia can eventually justify almost any price for dedicated collectors.
The timing of the announcement is notable. Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to launch in November and has already dominated technology headlines for months, thanks to repeated delays, a barrage of leaks and the sense that the wider gaming industry has cleared space for its arrival. The game promises a return to the car chases, expanded vehicle customisation and racing events that have long appealed to motoring enthusiasts, alongside the crime-driven mayhem for which the series is known.
Rockstar appears to be courting a more affluent gamer with the Vice City Collection, one willing to pay for memorabilia that might once have been included as promotional extras. Whether that audience exists in sufficient numbers at $400 — before the cost of the game itself — remains to be seen. For now, the package stands as one of the more striking examples of how the economics of blockbuster game releases are changing, with publishers testing how much fans will pay for the trappings of a game rather than the game itself.
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