Xbox CSO Says GTA 6 Pre-Orders Breaking Records Despite PS5 Sales Skew

Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball has responded to a report from The Verge suggesting that Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-order sales are skewed heavily toward PlayStation 5. Ball took to social media to push back on any suggestion of disappointment, saying the game is breaking records on Xbox.

"We are very happy with GTA VI pre-orders," Ball wrote on social media. "The title is breaking records for XBOX, we expect even more records will be broken throughout the fall, and our internal analysis shows our share of pre-orders to be matching our share of the console market."

The Verge's report had noted the disparity in pre-order distribution across platforms and raised concerns about Xbox's competitive position. Ball also responded to separate claims about Xbox employee concerns regarding sales figures, replying with "false" and "not true" to those suggestions.

Ball's response does not dispute that GTA 6 pre-orders favor PlayStation 5 overall. However, he frames this within the context of broader console market share, where PlayStation has maintained a larger installed base in recent years. The clarification suggests that while absolute pre-order numbers may favor Sony's platform, Xbox's proportional share aligns with its market position.

Ball has become a notably active presence on social media since taking the CSO role earlier in 2026, regularly providing official commentary on industry developments and Xbox-related news. GTA 6 is scheduled to release on November 5, 2026.