GTA 6 without a physical disc? Take-Two's CEO calls the format "meaningless"

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, believes that releasing GTA 6 on physical media "no longer makes any sense." This statement highlights the shifting console market—and one that divides the community.

What Was Said - and Decided

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive (parent company of Rockstar Games), stated that releasing GTA 6 on physical disc made « no sense anymore ». And he stands by it: the physical edition of GTA 6 will exist, but it will only include a simple download code—no game data on the disc. The box will be there; the disc, not. For Zelnick, the physical format has become a mere collectible, like vinyl—cherished by some, non-essential for the rest of the market.

This statement accompanies a decision already made, not a prospective reflection.

Context: The Market Driving the Same Direction

Take-Two’s decision aligns with a broader trend:

• The PS5 Pro launched without a built-in disc drive (sold separately)
• Microsoft has shifted its Xbox Series S/X lineup toward digital
• Steam has been the absolute standard on PC for a decade

The physical disc market for consoles is in structural decline. In the UK, one of the last strongholds of physical media, digital now accounts for over 60-70% of AAA game sales. In the U.S., the shift is even more pronounced.

Our Take: Who Does This Really Benefit?

Let’s be direct—we have an opinion on this.

Zelnick isn’t entirely wrong about the numbers. But « no sense anymore » is an overstatement of commercial reality: GTA 6 will likely sell tens of millions of copies, and even 20% physical sales still mean millions of units.

The real question behind these statements isn’t technical—it’s economic. A digital sale means:

• No margin sharing with distributors and physical retailers
• No secondhand market (the game can’t be resold)
• Direct behavioral data accessible to the publisher
• Infinite commercial lifespan without inventory management

For Take-Two, the question isn’t « does the disc still make sense for players? » but « does the disc still make sense for our margins? »

Our Verdict

For us, as players, this raises a real question of ownership and longevity: a physical box containing only a download code promises access to a game only as long as the publisher’s servers remain online—not the possession of a permanent object. Zelnick’s comparison to vinyl backfires: vinyl can be played without an internet connection, without an account, without the record label being able to revoke it. GTA 6’s download code? Not so much. The debate extends beyond GTA 6—it’s about what it means to « buy » a game in 2026.