Anticipation for Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto 6 has spurred a significant sales boost for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles in the UK. The trailer, "GTA 6: An Extended Look," which premiered on platforms including Netflix, attracted massive viewership, with over 31 million viewers on Netflix alone and millions more across YouTube and Twitch.
This surge in excitement translated directly into console sales figures. Market research firm NielsenIQ reported that PS5 console sales in the UK increased by 33%, while Xbox Series sales saw a 34% rise in the week following the trailer's release. This comes as a welcome development for console manufacturers who have faced challenges due to rising costs and component shortages, which previously led to a substantial drop in PS5 sales over the summer and marked 2025 as Xbox's worst year on record in the country.
Despite the inflation-adjusted price increases for consoles—with the PS5 reportedly 67% more expensive than at launch and Xbox consoles doubling in price—the prospect of Grand Theft Auto 6, alongside the release of Call of Duty, is expected to drive an uptick in console install bases. Analysts suggest that while the impact might not be as monumental as it could have been under different economic conditions, the upcoming releases are nonetheless expected to provide a notable boost.
In a related trend, Nintendo Switch sales also rose by a third during the same period, suggesting that some consumers may be preparing for potential price increases with the anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2.