"GTA6" opens for pre-order today. However, the physical version only contains a download code and no disc, which has caused heated discussions on the Internet. Now even retailers are joining the crusade.
Video Games Plus (VGP), a Toronto-based retailer in Canada, took the lead in issuing a statement on social media, emphasizing that the company has been "committed to supporting physical media and upholding the value of physical game ownership for 40 years. As part of this commitment, our company policy is that we do not sell physical products that only contain digital download codes."
"Based on currently available information, the physical release of GTA 6 is expected to be a code-in-box product. Therefore, in accordance with our current company policy, VGP will not offer it for sale.
Let's be clear, this decision is not specific to the game itself. We have the utmost respect for Rockstar and the extraordinary achievement that Grand Theft Auto 6 represents.
If Rockstar one day releases a physical version of the disc in the box, we will be happy to offer and support that version for our customers. "
In addition, American retailer Loot Box Gaming (LBG) also expressed the same position.
LBG pointed out, "We will pay close attention to the release of the physical version of "GTA6" in the next 24 hours. We have not received complete details yet, but if the rumors containing download codes are true, we will not support the release of "GTA6".
When we founded LBG, it was out of a love for, and the preservation of, our favorite medium: games. If a product doesn't respect the players who spent their hard-earned money to buy it, then there's no reason for us to sell it to our customers - they mean more to us than anything else. "
The above two North American retailers have emphasized the preservation value of physical games. However, because leading retailers such as Walmart, GameStop, and Target have remained silent on the matter and have not participated, they will not have much impact on the sales of "GTA6". However, it has won praise and recognition from players on social media.
