The GTA 6 Netflix reveal has triggered a sharp rise in console sales across the United Kingdom. New data shows PS5 and Xbox hardware sales jumped by roughly a third in the week following Rockstar’s Extended Look video. The surge comes as Grand Theft Auto 6 heads toward its November 19, 2026 launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Here’s what the numbers show, and why analysts say the boost may not last.
GTA 6 Netflix Reveal Drives UK Console Sales
UK PS5 sales rose 33% in the week after the GTA 6 Extended Look aired on Netflix, according to NielsenIQ data shared with The Game Business. Xbox Series S and X sales climbed even higher, up 34% over the same period.
Nintendo Switch 2 sales also increased by about a third, even though GTA 6 is not coming to that console. The rise came just before a price increase for the Switch 2 this week.
More than 31 million people watched the GTA 6 Extended Look on Netflix, making it the platform’s most-watched title that week. The surge in interest led to widespread console shortages at UK retailers.
At the time of writing, only one PS5 Pro model remains available directly through Sony’s UK website, and almost every third-party retailer has sold out.
Console Shortages Follow the GTA 6 Reveal
The spike in demand has hit supply hard. Several UK retailers have run out of PS5 units entirely following the reveal.
Some third-party sellers reportedly listed the PS5 Pro for as much as £1,287, well above its retail price of £789.99, as buyers scrambled to secure a unit ahead of GTA 6’s launch.
A Welcome Boost for a Struggling Console Market
The GTA 6-driven sales jump comes as relief for hardware makers. UK console sales were down 14.4% year-on-year by the end of July, largely due to a 32% drop in PS5 sales. Xbox Series S and X sales had actually grown 3.1% over the same period.
In the US, console sales recorded their worst July since 2020, when supply shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic limited stock.
Rising prices have been a key factor. According to Newzoo consultant Ronan Patrick, the PS5 is now 67% more expensive than at launch in inflation-adjusted terms, while Xbox hardware costs roughly twice as much.
Will the GTA 6 Effect Last?
Patrick cautioned that the console sales bump tied to GTA 6 may not translate into a major long-term shift. He pointed to the 2020-2021 GPU shortage as a comparison, noting that hardware shocks in the past have led to a reallocation of spending toward software rather than a major jump in overall engagement or revenue.
“We expect, because of [GTA] and Call of Duty, to see an uptick in the install base, but nothing particularly massive,” Patrick said, adding that fears over the software market may be overblown since most player time is spent on existing titles rather than new releases.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, 2026. The game will not be available on PC or Nintendo Switch 2 at launch.
With console shortages already forming three months ahead of release, demand for PS5 and Xbox hardware is likely to stay high as more marketing and gameplay reveals arrive in the run-up to launch.
