I've said it before, but I really don't get the GTA VI hype. The last Grand Theft Auto game being released over a decade ago isn't any guarantee that the next one will be amazing - Duke Nukem, Metroid, Overwatch and Star Fox are examples of that. Also, anyone who's been paying attention to the direction Rockstar games has been going for the last 5+ years would be pretty worried about how this game will actually turn out. A lot of stuff that used to be earned with in-game currencies in GTA online are only buyable with real money now. Their employee track record is horrible... Hearing about Rockstar not producing discs for their game doesn't surprise me. Maybe GTA VI will "crash the industry" and all the things these YouTubers are saying, but it would be on status alone at the moment, not because we know this is going to be a great game.

Literally the only reason to get the physical on this is if it's cheaper. Which is entirely possible in the UK, because retail often goes £5 cheaper.

They could at least put a printed map or poster in the box like in ye olden times.

What's the reason for no disc? Is this another one of those 'you buy it but you don't really own it' things?

"Security measure to not leak the game"

Entirely BS. How has the entire games industry existed before then?

Can we also talk about how they're locking full on content behind the ultimate edition? Not just some cosmetics, but the actual shops you'd go to in game to customize your character. In a single player game. That's fucked.

It's enough that I'm not getting the game. I can wait for PC and we'll see if they release it as a full game rather tham carve it up. This is just an excuse not to have a $100 base price so they avoid that backlash while they effectively have it for the full game.

Remember when you bought a game and it was yours?

Remember when you unlocked things in game through completion and achievement?

Remember when you bought a game you got the whole game, not 70% and access to a storefront?

Fuck AAA gaming man. I feel sorry for the devs and artists who work so hard on a game only for executives to slice it up and smear the goodwill the game had by attempting to be predatory and parasitic capitalists.

Fuck the billionaires.

The decline:
1: Games come in physical cartridges/discs in boxes in a store, included will be a user manual and sometimes special booklets with world maps or posters. Special editions come in fancy or metal cases, special colour variants, figurines and other trinkets. Expansion packs are released that add between 80-150% the amount of content as the origional game.

2: Special editions start coming with lower quality physical items and less often. Expansion packs start getting replaced by DLC packs, which are usually good value for money and add meaningful content to the game.

3: Games start shipping with less content and less testing as DLC's become more about bug fixes and adding content origionally planned as main release content.

4: Special editions consist basically just of a couple unique character skins or weapons whith no real lasting perks. DLC starts becoming rediculously expensive and underwhelming as shitty value for money.
Loot boxes and similar mechanics start preying on gamers with the same underwhelming content.

5: Games can be bought physically, but you install on a console/PC and it gets locked to your account, no sharing the disc with friends.

6: Multiplayer is moved to almost exclusively online only with no couch co-op for the vast majority of games. Online multiplayer only accessible with platform exclusive access subscription.

7: Games are sold as digital download only.

8: Games are downloaded but only sold as a subscription access.

9: Games are subscription only, but the game runs on their server and you just get the display stream feed + all inputs go back to the server to control the game.

10: You dont play games, you watch AI models play against each other whilst wearing VR headset, you dont enjoy it much but at least with the VR headset on you cant see the destruction outside your bunker since the climate change food riots.
Hope is on the horizon, apparently an indie dev is releasing a new version of tetris you will be able to play by actually pressing buttons yourself, 2035 is starting to look better after all.

Those same stores have likely happily sold physical cases for PC games containing nothing but a Steam code.

PR posturing.

Retailers should know that selling this is a poison pill. If no disc launches become the norm, then retailers will no longer serve a purpose in the industry.

They've been trying to kill the second hand market for decades and this release is the biggest threat to it yet.

Video Game Plus pointed to its policy of not selling games that only offer digital codes, and as a result, it will not sell the biggest game of 2026. The retailer noted that this isn't a reflection of Rockstar Games or the game itself, but argued that it's part of their goal of preserving physical media.

Based

[for consoles] if it doesn't have a disc, i won't pay more than $5 for it.

unless it's stardew. then i'll buy it for every system.

Buying only a download code is essentially a gift card.

Good. Boycott until a physical copy is sold at a lower price. Stop pre-ordering incomplete games and vote with your wallet.

The lack of a disc version is ridiculous.

But not as ridiculous as the lack of online multiplayer at launch. I'm ancient enough to remember the GTA V release. The pre-release trailer specifically said, "Complete heists with your friends!" or something very close to that. Then the game launched and you couldnt do anything with your friends. Once online was finally added, it was broken for a month or two. And heists weren't added for 2 years.

Maybe I'll buy GTA VI in 2 years, because $80 for a single-player-only game without a disc is 100% not happening for me.

Also, for extra GTA-doomer content, I still expect them to put online mode's in-game currency on their own blockchain to prevent exploits, better enabling their bullshit monetization schemes.