Players complain about game prices, but increasingly choose more expensive editions themselves - GTA VI Ultimate Edition topped PS Store pre-order charts

Protests do not extend beyond social media.

According to pre-order data from the PlayStation Store, users are increasingly opting for more expensive versions of new releases instead of standard editions.

The most striking example is Grand Theft Auto VI. The $100 Ultimate Edition took first place in pre-orders across all nine tracked PlayStation Store regions: USA, Canada, UK, France, Spain, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Hong Kong. 

A similar situation is observed with other anticipated releases. Halo Campaign Evolved Premium Edition is selling better than the standard edition. Analysts attribute this not only to high interest in the series and Halo's first appearance on PlayStation, but also to an attractive bonus — Premium Edition owners get access to the game five days earlier than others.

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Expensive versions also lead for Marvel's Wolverine, where the Digital Deluxe Edition outperforms the regular edition in most regions, and for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, whose Vault Edition is in high demand due to a 10% discount.

In the US, two Electronic Arts sports games priced at $100 — Madden NFL 27 Deluxe Edition and NHL 27 Deluxe Edition — also made it into the top ten most popular pre-orders.

Although chart positions change daily, the overall trend remains consistent: more and more buyers are willing to pay extra for expanded versions of games, especially if they offer early access, exclusive content, or other notable bonuses.

Experts note that this dynamic is developing against the backdrop of players' ongoing transition to digital distribution. Most users today purchase games digitally, which allows publishers to more actively promote premium editions and additional paid offerings.