GTA 6 Standard vs Ultimate Edition: What's Actually Different

GTA 6 comes in two editions: the Standard Edition at $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition at $99.99 in the US, both for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Buy either one before November 20, 2026 and you also get the Vintage Vice City Pack, plus a free month of GTA+ if you buy digitally.

Pre-orders opened at midnight local time on June 25. Everything below comes from Rockstar's pre-order announcement, its support pages, and the live PlayStation Store and Xbox Store listings as of October 5.

Standard vs Ultimate at a glance

	Standard Edition	Ultimate Edition
US price	$79.99	$99.99
Formats	Digital, or a boxed download code	Digital only
The game	Yes	Yes
Ultimate Edition Upgrade	Sold separately	Included
Vintage Vice City Pack (pre-order bonus)	Yes	Yes
One month of GTA+	Digital pre-orders only	Digital pre-orders only
7-day preload	Yes	Yes

Both editions are listed on the PlayStation Store with the same preload window and the same pre-order bonus. The only difference is the Ultimate Edition Upgrade.

What the Ultimate Edition adds

Rockstar says the Ultimate extras are spread through Jason and Lucia's story, with new items unlocking chapter by chapter. The store listing names:

• '95 Grotti Cheetah, a mid-90s sports car with a retro livery.
• Hawk and Little Morgan revolvers, a his-and-hers pair with palm-tree grips.
• Personalized pistols: engraved versions of Jason's Girardi ES9 and Lucia's Klose K17.
• Vice City style: extra outfits, hairstyles and tattoos.
• Jason's safehouse vehicles: a Dinka Enduro motorbike and a Crest kayak.
• Ganado retro build: exclusive mods for Jason's Vapid Ganado pickup.
• Shitzu Squalo, a boat docked at Washington Beach with a weapons crate.
• '67 Vapid Dominator Buggy and the Paradise Garage in Watson Bay.
• Goodtime Gear, clothing themed on the in-game TV character Macca the Gator.
• PTT Youngin$ Compound, a raid on a Southside Vice City gang's base.
• Classic Car Collection, a special commission to restore abandoned cars for a collector called Wyman.

It also opens five shops that are closed to Standard players: Rideout Customs, Sara's Unisex Salon, Stock 305, Electric Fang Tattoo (over 50 tattoos designed by the art collective FAILE) and One-Eyed Willie's mod shop.

Worth knowing: this is more than cosmetics. Two activities and five shops are locked to Ultimate owners. If that matters to you, the good news is you can change your mind later. Rockstar sells the Ultimate Edition Upgrade separately on the PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store "at any time", and boxed-copy owners can buy it once their download code is redeemed.

The pre-order bonus and its real deadline

The Vintage Vice City Pack includes:

• A '55 Vapid Stanier sedan with its own garage near Ocean Beach, which has a weapon locker and a place to stash stolen goods.
• 80s-style outfits and hairstyles for Jason and Lucia.
• A weapon pattern inspired by Tommy Vercetti's palm-tree shirt.

Rockstar's wording is that all pre-orders and purchases "before November 20" get the pack. Both the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store put the cutoff at 23:59:59 on November 19, so buying on launch day still counts.

The free month of GTA+ is for digital pre-orders only. On PlayStation it must be redeemed by March 31, 2027, and it renews at the normal monthly price after the free month unless you cancel. On Xbox you have 180 days from placing the pre-order to redeem it.

The boxed version is a code, not a disc

Rockstar's support page is direct about it: the physical version contains a download code, and a disc will not be included. Boxed copies go on sale from November 12, the same day preloading opens, so physical buyers can redeem the code and download on the same schedule as digital buyers. There is no boxed Ultimate Edition. IGN notes the pre-order bonus in boxed copies is offered while supplies last.

Region rules before you buy

PlayStation codes are locked to the region of your PlayStation account. North America is one region (the US and Canada), the UK is its own region, and most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand and India share another. Xbox codes are not region locked. Rockstar recommends buying from a retailer in the same country as your console account.

Where you can pre-order

The PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store and the Rockstar Store (boxed copies) all take pre-orders, alongside regular retailers. Canada, the US, the UK and Australia are on all three storefront lists.

The $400 box that does not include the game

On September 24 Rockstar opened pre-orders for The Goodtime State, Vice City Collection, a limited collector's box. It contains a 6-inch Macca the Gator figure with a stash compartment, GTA VI Oakley Frogskins sunglasses, a New Era snapback, a crossbody bag, an enamel pin set, a double-sided poster of the Leonida map and more. It arrives November 19. Rockstar's own post says the game is sold separately, and IGN reports the set at $400.

Which edition should you buy?

If you plan to spend a long time in the story and want every shop and activity, the Ultimate Edition saves you a second purchase. If you are unsure, the Standard Edition is the safer start: the bonus pack is the same, and the upgrade can be added later. Choose digital if you want the GTA+ month; choose the box if you want something to gift.

FAQ

Is GTA 6 on PS4 or Xbox One?

No. PlayStation's own page says GTA 6 is only playable on PS5 and is not available for PS4. Rockstar lists PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only.

Can I upgrade from Standard to Ultimate later?

Yes. The Ultimate Edition Upgrade is sold separately on the PlayStation and Microsoft stores at any time, including for boxed copies once the code is redeemed.

Do I still get the Vintage Vice City Pack if I buy on launch day?

Yes. The cutoff is purchases before November 20, which the stores list as 23:59:59 on November 19.

Does the physical copy of GTA 6 have a disc?

No. Rockstar confirms the box holds a download code only.

Is there a GTA 6 collector's edition with the game?

No. The collector's box is merchandise only, and the game is sold separately.