Xbox will give GTA 6 players a major advantage over PS5

Published Jul 28, 2026, 5:48 AM EDT While some players might prefer to play Grand Theft Auto 6 on PS5, there is a restriction that might just make them reconsider Image: Rockstar Games Sign in to your Polygon.com account Grand Theft Auto 6 is one of the most highly anticipated games of the decade, so when pre-orders went live, fans moved fast to secure their copy. It is a timed exclusive on consoles, so players who want to get their hands on it on day one will have to play it on Xbox Series X/S or PlayStation 5. While many fans already have a preferred platform for the game, others still have to decide where they want to play it. And there is one detail that might just help them make their choice. GTA 6 download codes are region-locked on PS5 but not on Xbox. After the pre-order frenzy, IGN reported that its PS5 affiliate link outperformed Xbox's by 8-to-1. This made it seem like the PS5 link was widely more popular. However, according to Xbox, the report didn't actually reflect sales — it was data based on internet traffic, not a financial report — and claimed that it has seen record numbers with its GTA 6 pre-orders. The fact that download codes are region-locked on its competitor's platform might just be what Xbox needs to boost these numbers even further. Region-locked games cannot be redeemed if the country associated with the player's account doesn't match the code's region. Since Grand Theft Auto 6 will not be available on a physical disc, and physical editions will only contain a code inside, all players will be forced to own a digital copy of the game. This means that everyone playing it on PS5 will be subject to this restriction. Gamers won't have to worry about this issue on Xbox, as codes will be redeemable on any account regardless of its region. Knowing their region is particularly important for PlayStation players who want to buy the physical edition of the game rather than through the console's official store. Even though they may only have a code inside and no disc, many fans still like collecting video game boxes and displaying them. It is one of the many reasons why gamers are pushing so hard against Sony's attempt to end game discs altogether. To avoid activation issues, players should understand which region their country belongs to: Region Countries Brazil Brazil LATAM Argentina Bolivia Chile Colombia Costa Rica Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Uruguay North America Canada United States Korea South Korea Japan Japan United Kingdom United Kingdom Saudi Arabia & UAE Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Rest of Asia Hong Kong Indonesia Malaysia Singapore Taiwan Thailand Rest of EMEA and Asia Australia Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czechia Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel Italy Luxembourg Malta Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Given that there are few benefits that justify purchasing Grand Theft Auto 6's physical versions, retail stores have found themselves in a tough position, as they've seen a clear decline in pre-orders. GameSpot employees have shared their experience with GTA 6 pre-order sales, and it is apparent that many players aren't interested in purchasing these boxes with a region-locked code inside. They prefer to go back home and make a digital pre-order instead.