- Primary Subject: Grand Theft Auto 6 Pre-Orders
- Key Update: Microsoft has publicly rejected claims that GTA 6 is selling eight times better on PS5 than Xbox, arguing the viral statistic is based on affiliate link activity rather than actual pre-order sales.
- Status: Official Response / Ongoing Debate
- Last Verified: June 29, 2026
- Quick Answer: Microsoft says reports claiming GTA 6 is outselling Xbox by eight to one on PS5 are based on affiliate shopping data, not verified pre-order figures. While PlayStation is widely expected to lead due to its larger install base, Rockstar and Take-Two have yet to release official platform-specific sales numbers, leaving the true gap unknown.
Grand Theft Auto 6 has barely entered its pre-order phase, yet it has already become the center of another console war.
This time, the debate isn't about graphics, performance, or exclusives, but whether the PlayStation 5 version is massively outselling Xbox before the game has even launched.
After reports claimed PS5 pre-orders were running at an eight-to-one advantage over Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft publicly disputed the figure, arguing that the number being circulated online is not based on actual pre-order sales.
Where Did the 8-to-1 GTA 6 Pre-Order Claim Come From?
The controversy can be traced back to data shared by IGN's commerce division, IGN Finds.
According to the outlet, users clicking through its affiliate shopping links were purchasing the PS5 version of GTA 6 at roughly eight times the rate of the Xbox version.
As the statistic spread across X, Reddit, Instagram, and gaming forums, many players took it as proof that PlayStation was vastly outselling Xbox in GTA 6 pre-orders.
Why Is Microsoft Rejecting the Report?
Microsoft responded soon after, telling Windows Central that the figures "don't represent pre-order data," dismissing the claim as an inaccurate interpretation of the numbers.
The company added that Xbox has experienced record-breaking GTA 6 pre-orders on its own platform and argued that consumers should wait for verified sales information instead of drawing conclusions from affiliate link activity.
Although Microsoft did not disclose actual pre-order figures, its response made clear that it believes the viral eight-to-one narrative paints an inaccurate picture of the market.
Why Doesn't Affiliate Data Tell the Whole Story?
The disagreement largely stems from how affiliate programs operate, as affiliate links only track purchases that come through a specific website or publication, allowing those outlets to earn commissions on qualifying sales.
While that information can reveal the preferences of a publication's own audience, it cannot account for purchases made elsewhere.
Millions of players buy games directly through the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, GameStop, local retailers, or other digital storefronts that have no connection to a single affiliate program.
As a result, affiliate statistics provide only a narrow snapshot of consumer behavior rather than a comprehensive view of worldwide pre-orders.
Audience demographics also complicate the picture, since every publication draws a different readership, and those audiences seldom reflect the gaming industry as a whole.
A website with a larger PlayStation-focused audience will naturally generate more PlayStation clicks, while an Xbox-focused publication would likely produce the opposite result.
Even geography can influence the outcome, as console popularity varies considerably between North America, Europe, Japan, and other regions.
Using one publication's affiliate traffic to estimate global demand therefore introduces several biases that cannot easily be measured.
When Will We Know Which Platform Is Actually Selling Better?
At this stage, neither side can definitively prove its case.
Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive have not released platform-specific pre-order figures, meaning there is currently no official data showing how GTA 6 sales compare between PlayStation and Xbox.
Microsoft has insisted Xbox demand is stronger than the viral reports suggest, while the affiliate figures continue to indicate significantly greater engagement from IGN's audience on PlayStation.
Both statements can technically be true because they measure entirely different things.
Until Rockstar or Take-Two publishes verified sales numbers, any estimate of the gap between PlayStation and Xbox remains speculative.
Affiliate click-through data may provide an interesting glimpse into the buying habits of one community, but it should not be mistaken for a complete picture of worldwide sales.
Microsoft's response isn't necessarily proof that Xbox is keeping pace with PlayStation, nor does the affiliate data conclusively prove an eight-to-one advantage.
For now, the only figures capable of settling the debate are the official sales numbers that have yet to be released.
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