Take-Two Interactive has addressed the lack of a true physical version of Grand Theft Auto VI, as the decision to rely primarily on digital distribution continues to fuel debate among players. Strauss Zelnick, the publisher’s CEO, explained that this approach is above all a response to the changing market. According to him, nearly 90% of Take-Two’s business now comes from digital distribution, making the mass production of discs increasingly less economically viable. For a launch on the scale of GTA 6, the publisher therefore believes that a release relying primarily on downloads better reflects consumers’ current habits.

The executive went further, however, arguing that disc editions no longer necessarily offer any real advantage to players themselves. Strauss Zelnick pointed out that many modern games already require an Internet connection, particularly to create or register an account, access certain services, or download additional content. In this context, he considers downloading a more convenient solution for users. Nevertheless, this position is likely to prompt further criticism from advocates of physical media, particularly after he used the expression “who cares” to downplay the difference between installing a game from a disc and downloading it in full.

This justification does not directly address the main concerns raised by players who remain attached to physical editions. They particularly highlight the long-term preservation of games, the ability to build a collection, resell or lend a title, as well as the risks associated with digital licenses. Losing an account, a game being removed from an online store, or the possible revocation of access therefore remain arguments regularly raised against a complete transition to digital distribution. In the case of GTA 6, the frustration is even greater because any boxes that are sold could contain only a code to download the game, without a genuine copy that can be used directly from a disc.

Take-Two has not completely ruled out physical editions, however. Strauss Zelnick indicated that some studios within the group could still occasionally release games on disc when commercial circumstances justify it, particularly for smaller productions or certain re-releases. Nevertheless, he believes that this model is no longer suited to the huge launches expected for titles such as Grand Theft Auto VI, going so far as to gradually compare physical game collectors to vinyl enthusiasts in the music industry. This statement suggests that future major productions from Rockstar Games, including the next Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead installments, could also rely heavily—or even exclusively—on digital distribution.