GTA 6 Pre-Orders Are Live: Should You Buy Standard or Ultimate?

It's decision day. Pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI went live on June 25, and Rockstar has kept the menu refreshingly short: a $79.99 Standard Edition and a $99.99 Ultimate Edition, with nothing in between. No deluxe tier, no collector's bundle, no early-access shortcut. Just one $20 question standing between you and the November 19 launch — and it's worth thinking about before you tap "pre-order."

What You're Actually Choosing Between

Both editions hand you the same core game: the full Grand Theft Auto VI story and the entire open world of Leonida, Jason and Lucia's campaign included. Standard at $79.99 is exactly that, complete and uncut. The extra $20 for Ultimate doesn't buy a "better" version of the game — it buys a pile of exclusive extras layered on top. So the real choice isn't about the story you'll play. It's about how much you care about the toys you'll play it with.

When the Extra $20 Is Worth It

If you love customization and collecting, Ultimate makes a strong case. It's the only way to get the exclusive garage — including the '95 Grotti Cheetah and a Mud Club-ready Dominator Buggy — plus the his-and-hers Vercetti revolvers pulled straight from Vice City history. It also unlocks whole businesses that stay shut for Standard players, from One-Eyed Willie's off-road shop to a FAILE-designed ink bar. (We've broken down every confirmed Ultimate item separately.) For players who treat GTA as a dress-up-and-drive sandbox, that's $20 well spent.

When to Keep Your $20

Here's the catch that tilts things back toward Standard: Rockstar is chapter-gating the Ultimate rewards. Instead of dropping into your inventory on day one, the cars, guns, and gear unlock as you clear story chapters — so Ultimate is a slow-burn bonus, not a head start. There's no early access on any edition either; nobody loads in before November 19. And if you buy Standard now and have second thoughts, Rockstar plans to sell an Ultimate Edition Upgrade later, so the premium content is never truly off the table.

The Perks Everyone Gets

Whichever box you pick, every pre-order includes the Vintage Vice City Pack — retro '80s skins for Jason and Lucia. Go digital and Rockstar tosses in a free month of GTA+, its membership service. One asterisk for physical buyers: the launch box reportedly holds a download code rather than an actual disc, so "physical" is doing some heavy lifting this time around.

What This Means For Players

The honest bottom line: most players should start with the $79.99 Standard Edition. You lose nothing essential, the headline extras trickle in slowly anyway, and the Upgrade path means you can change your mind later. Ultimate is the pick if you're a day-one completionist who wants the exclusive garage and Vercetti hardware waiting the moment they unlock — and who'd rather pay once than twice. With only two tiers, at least Rockstar made the decision clean.

So which way are you leaning — lock in Standard at $79.99, or go all-in on Ultimate for $99.99? Cast your vote in the comments before launch day arrives.