Speculation surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI's pre-order performance has prompted a response from Xbox, with a spokesperson urging consumers and media to "wait for real data" rather than relying on anecdotal evidence. This statement comes after IGN reported, based on its affiliate linking program, that PlayStation 5 pre-orders for GTA 6 were outpacing Xbox Series X/S pre-orders at an 8-to-1 ratio.
The data point, shared on social media, suggested a strong demand for the PS5 version of the highly anticipated title, amplified by news that Amazon had temporarily sold out of its PS5 copies. In response, an Xbox spokesperson told Windows Central, "This doesn’t represent pre-order data. We’ve had record orders. People should wait for real data and not clicks on affiliate links."
The irony of Microsoft calling for verifiable data has been noted by some, given that the company has largely ceased reporting its own sales metrics. Detailed console sales data for Xbox has not been publicly available since the Xbox One era, and sales figures for first-party Xbox titles have also become scarce in the Game Pass era. While player counts are sometimes shared, comprehensive sales figures are rare.
Industry analyses and estimates suggest that the PlayStation 5 is on track to outsell the Xbox Series X/S by at least a 2-to-1 margin this console generation. If Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be a significant purchase for a majority of current-gen console owners, it would be logical for platform sales to roughly mirror this overall ratio. Any substantial deviation from a 2-to-1 split in GTA 6's pre-orders could indicate platform-specific factors at play, but without official sales figures, such conclusions remain speculative.