Two retailers have told GTA 6 they won’t be selling it at launch, and the reason comes down to one very small box with very little inside it.
When Rockstar confirmed on June 24 that physical copies of GTA 6 would contain a download code rather than an actual disc, it lit a short fuse under the part of the gaming community that cares about owning what it buys.
The game launches November 19 at $79.99, so the prospect of spending $80 on an empty box landed poorly. As a result, some retailers committed to physical media drew their own line.
Two retailers refuse to sell GTA 6 without a disc
Video Games Plus, a Canadian retailer that has operated for nearly four decades, confirmed on X that GTA 6’s physical edition falls outside its stocking policy.
“Our company policy is that we do not carry physical products for video game consoles that contain only a digital download code,” the statement read, adding that VGP holds “tremendous respect for Rockstar Games” but will hold off both online and in-store unless a disc version eventually ships.
Loot Box Gaming, a US-based physical media retailer, made its position clear in a separate post: it will not carry the game if the code-in-box reports hold.
“When we started LBG, it was out of a love for our favorite form of media,” the company wrote, noting that selling a product which doesn’t “honor the people who pay their hard-earned money” isn’t something it can square with its values.
When one user pointed out the decision wouldn’t dent Rockstar’s sales, LBG shrugged it off: “We hope GTA 6 has immense success,” it replied, “but we can’t go against our business practices in the process either.”
Neither retailer represents a meaningful share of the game’s overall sales, but together they put a name to the frustration a lot of fans have been sitting with since the news broke.
GTA 6 was long rumored to be delaying its physical release entirely to avoid leaks, so the code-in-box compromise lands as the lesser evil for Rockstar, even if it hasn’t satisfied everyone. If you want the full breakdown on what the pre-order actually gets you, Rockstar’s confirmed GTA 6 price and Ultimate Edition bonuses are laid out here.
