Despite PlayStation 5 pre-order figures for Grand Theft Auto 6 reportedly outpacing those on Xbox Series X|S by a ratio of more than 3:1, Xbox's Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball has refuted claims that the company is unhappy with the sales numbers. Ball stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Xbox is "very happy with GTA 6 pre-orders" and anticipates that "even more records will be broken throughout the fall."
Ball elaborated that internal analysis shows Xbox's share of pre-orders "to be matching our share of the console market." This aligns with the known distribution of current-generation consoles, where the PlayStation 5 has a larger install base than the Xbox Series X|S. According to Sensor Tower data cited, Xbox's 23% share of GTA 6 pre-orders accounts for 1.3 million copies and $128 million in revenue, while PlayStation 5's 77% share represents 4.35 million copies and $426 million in revenue.
This clarification comes shortly after a period of significant layoffs at Xbox, which included the studio behind the Halo franchise relinquishing control of the series. In related news, the promotional campaign for Grand Theft Auto 6 has actively begun, featuring a campaign in Miami, Florida, that welcomes visitors to a virtual Vice City. The highly anticipated title is scheduled for release on November 19 for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.