GTA 6 editions explained: Standard at $79.99, Ultimate Edition at $100

Full text

With various different GTA 6 versions available, it can be confusing trying to decide which one to go for and working out what the differences are between them, especially with the line between digital and physical purchase getting increasingly blurred. While Rockstar avoided the rumored (and feared) $100 price tag for the base game, you'll still be paying that for the Ultimate Edition if you want to get the full GTA 6 experience.

To help guide you through this tough choice, I've broken down the various versions of GTA 6 and what the differences are between them, so you can decide which one suits you best.

If you want to take an early visit to Vice City, then check out how much of the GTA 6 map has been pieced together so far, and discover more information about the GTA 6 locations you can visit.

GTA 6 Standard Edition

(Image credit: Rockstar Games) Digital, RRP $79.99 / £69.99

The digital GTA 6 Standard Edition provides the base version of the game, without any extra bells and whistles. However, with all digital versions if you pre-order GTA 6 in advance via the PlayStation or Microsoft Store then you'll receive the Vintage Vice City Pack and a free one month GTA+ subscription.

With all digital editions you'll be able to start pre-loading the game a week before launch, which is going to be handy as the GTA 6 GB size is expected to be considerably large. If you decide you want more later, then you can also purchase a digital Ultimate Edition Upgrade, which is likely to cost $20 / £20 to get you the benefits listed below.

GTA 6 Ultimate Edition

(Image credit: Rockstar Games) Digital, RRP $99.99 / £89.99

Purchasing the digital GTA 6 Ultimate Edition will get you the base game, the Vintage Vice City Pack and a one month GTA+ subscription if you pre-order, along with a selection of items and activities to improve your experience. These include exclusive GTA 6 cars and GTA 6 weapons that you won't be able to access anywhere else:

Vehicles '95 Grotti Cheetah sports car

Army fatigue Dinka Enduro motorcycle

Crest kayak

Retro mods for Jason's Vapid Ganado pickup

Pink and blue gradient Shitzu Squalo boat

'67 Vapid Dominator Buggy off-road

Weapons His and hers styling for Hawk & Little Morgan revolvers

Jason's personalized Girardi ES9 pistol

Lucia's personalized Klose K17 pistol

Outfits Vice City Style outfits, tattoos, and more

Goodtime Gear apparel and accessories inspired by TV show character Macca the Gator

Businesses Rideout Customs for vehicle transformations

Sara's Unisex Salon for makeovers including Jason's facial hair and Lucia's nails

Stock 305 for streetwear outfits

Electric Fang Tattoo for signature tattoos

One-Eyed Willie's for off-road vehicle modifications

PTT Youngin$ Illegal Goods Store for compound raids

Wyman's Classic Car Collection for project car restoration

GTA 6 Physical Edition

(Image credit: Rockstar Games) Physical, RRP $79.99 / £69.99

The main thing to bear in mind if you're considering the GTA 6 Physical Edition is that it will only include a code to be redeemed for a digital copy of the game , so you won't be receiving a disc in the box, though retailers say they will be sending physical orders out a week before launch so you'll have time to redeem the code and complete the GTA 6 pre-load .

If you pre-order the physical version then you'll still receive the Vintage Vice City Pack, but not the free month of GTA+ subscription. As this is essentially just a download code for the digital Standard Edition, you'll still be able to purchase the Ultimate Edition Upgrade from the PlayStation or Microsoft Store to get all of the extra content.

GTA 6 Vintage Vice City Pack

(Image credit: Rockstar Games) Digital, free with pre-orders

Whichever of the GTA 6 versions you choose, as long as you place a pre-order before release you'll also receive the Vintage Vice City Pack for free, with a selection of cosmetics harking back to the neon-soaked Tommy Vercetti era:

Vehicles '55 Vapid Stanier

Weapons Tommy Vercetti-inspired tropical pattern styling for most guns

Outfits Jason's vintage pastel linen suit

Lucia's red sequin mini dress

Exclusive hairstyles

All of the above relates to the GTA 6 versions coming to PS5 or Xbox Series X, and while we're expecting GTA 6 on PC to arrive at some point in the future it's improbable that will happen for at least a year, with a different offering likely to be available to PC players at that point.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.