Rockstar Asks $80 for GTA 6 Without Gameplay Trailer

Rockstar's $80 Preorder Ask Without a Gameplay Trailer Sparks Frustration

When Rockstar Games announced that preorders for Grand Theft Auto 6 would begin this week, fans and critics alike expected that a new gameplay trailer would finally be on the horizon. After years of leaks and delays, it seemed logical to assume that the developer would be ready to showcase at least a glimpse of actual gameplay. However, as of now, there is still no trailer in sight — nada.

It’s wild for Rockstar to be asking gamers for a minimum of $80 to preorder a game it hasn’t even shown any gameplay for. While the price hike to $80 may not come as a complete shock — especially with Nintendo already charging $80 for its titles — the decision to lock some gameplay behind a $100 "Ultimate Edition" right from the start feels particularly obnoxious. The added insult is that Rockstar hasn’t even shown the game itself, leaving fans in the dark about what they're paying for.

The Lack of Gameplay Footage

Grand Theft Auto 6 has had two trailers so far. The first was a 90-second reveal trailer, and the second was a 3-minute spotlight on the game’s protagonists, Jason and Lucia. Both were cinematic and story-focused, offering little in the way of actual gameplay. Even the 63 new images released recently were mostly Ultimate Edition ads, character artwork, and photo mode-style shots. We have not seen GTA 6 being played. Not at all.

Yes, there are some years-old leaked gameplay clips, and since it’s a GTA game, it’s not unreasonable to guess what the gameplay might look like — long conversations while driving, followed by snap-to-head gunplay. But the issue here isn’t just about the gameplay itself; it’s about the principle. It feels like being mugged, and not in the fun, GTARP-style way that fans might expect.

The Elephant in the Room: PC Release Date

The elephant in the room, of course, is that aside from educated speculation, we don’t actually know when GTA 6 might launch on PC. As a result, many fans — including myself — are choosing not to preorder, simply because they don’t own a current generation console. While the game will eventually make its way to PC, this approach doesn’t bode well for how Rockstar might treat PC players when it does.

This isn’t the first time a publisher has tried to sell a game without a gameplay trailer, but Rockstar’s decision feels like the height of arrogance. It seems to think that GTA 6 is too big to fail — and in many ways, it probably is. However, that doesn’t mean fans should have to pay a premium without any real insight into what they’re buying.