A new debate has emerged around Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders after reports suggested PlayStation 5 was outperforming Xbox by an 8-to-1 margin. However, Microsoft has now pushed back against those claims, stating that the figures being shared online are based on affiliate link clicks—not actual pre-order sales.
The discussion began after IGN shared data from its IGN Finds affiliate program on X, stating that PlayStation was outperforming Xbox in GTA 6 pre-orders by an 8-to-1 ratio. The post quickly gained traction across social media, fueling speculation that Sony had established a massive early lead ahead of Rockstar Games’ biggest release in years.
Rather than responding directly on social media, Xbox addressed the claims in a statement provided to Windows Central.
Xbox says affiliate clicks are not the same as pre-order data
Responding to the growing online narrative, an Xbox spokesperson disputed the interpretation of the affiliate statistics.
“This doesn’t represent pre-order data. We’ve had record orders. People should wait for real data and not clicks on affiliate links.”
The statement makes clear that Microsoft believes affiliate traffic should not be used as evidence of platform-specific sales performance.
Neither Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive, Sony, nor Microsoft has released official GTA 6 pre-order figures, meaning there is currently no verified data showing how the game is performing across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The discussion stems from an X post published by IGN, which explained that its commerce affiliate data showed significantly more users clicking PlayStation 5 preorder links than Xbox links.
Affiliate programs measure user interactions with retailer links generated by a specific publication. While those metrics can indicate purchasing trends among a site’s audience, they do not represent total market sales.
Windows Central noted that affiliate data is inherently influenced by a publication’s readership, regional audience, and shopping behavior. As a result, using those figures to estimate global preorder performance can produce misleading conclusions.
Although PlayStation 5 currently has a larger installed player base than Xbox Series X|S, no official platform-specific preorder numbers have been published.
GTA 6 launches during a changing console market
The preorder debate arrives during a challenging period for the console industry.
Microsoft recently announced another round of Xbox hardware price increases, while Sony has also raised PlayStation 5 prices in several regions over the past year. Rising memory and storage costs continue to affect console manufacturers worldwide, leading to higher retail prices across the industry.
Some analysts believe Grand Theft Auto 6, launching on November 19, 2026, could become one of the biggest drivers of current-generation console upgrades, encouraging remaining PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners to move to newer hardware.
That makes platform comparisons particularly significant, even if reliable sales data is still unavailable.
Official sales numbers remain unknown
At this stage, Xbox’s statement serves as a reminder that unofficial metrics should be interpreted carefully.
Affiliate clicks, retailer rankings, and social media engagement can all provide insight into consumer interest, but they are not substitutes for verified preorder or sales data released by publishers and platform holders.
Until Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive, Sony, or Microsoft publish official figures, the true split between PlayStation and Xbox pre-orders will remain unknown.
For now, Microsoft’s response challenges the growing assumption that PlayStation has built an overwhelming lead, while emphasizing that meaningful comparisons should wait until verified commercial data becomes available.
