GTA VI Launches Nov. 19 With 12 Million Preorders as $1 Billion Bet Nears Record Sales
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Nov 14
GTA VI Launches Nov. 19 With 12 Million Preorders as $1 Billion Bet Nears Record Sales
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Nov 14
Summary
Nov. 19 marks the release of Grand Theft Auto VI after two delays, with Sensor Tower estimating more than 12 million preorders through Nov. 13 and analysts calling it the biggest game launch ever.
More than $1 billion was spent developing the title, Roth estimates, while Morgan Stanley forecasts 40 million copies sold by March 2027 and Take-Two says demand is already far above expectations.
Take-Two shares have more than doubled since early 2023 as investors bet the release will extend the franchise’s long tail—GTA V still ranks among Twitch’s five most-viewed games this year, 13 years after launch.
The launch is also expected to ripple beyond gaming: BambooHR says PTO requests for Nov. 19 are nearly 13% above comparable 2024 and 2025 dates, and almost one in five workers plan to take time off.
PwC says the game could lift food delivery, tourism and music streaming while pulling attention from movies and video platforms over Thanksgiving, underscoring how one release may reshape media consumption into 2027.