Resale Market Elimination
Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics identified blocking the pre-owned and rental economy as the primary driver, noting that each resale or rental after the initial purchase directs revenue away from Rockstar and Take-Two. A code-in-box format ensures every copy sold generates full-price revenue without subsequent transfers. This structure also lets the publisher dictate any future discounts rather than retailers.
Leak and Spoiler Safeguards
Elliott added that the format reduces risks of early physical copies appearing before street date, a recurring issue with disc shipments. Preloading begins November 12 yet the game remains locked until November 19, so even diverted boxes yield no playable content ahead of release.
Cost and Sales Context
Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis described the code-in-box model as a lower-cost way to reach retail buyers while avoiding full disc manufacturing. Mat Piscatella of Circana and Daniel Ahmad of Niko Partners noted that digital sales already dominate PS5 and Xbox Series X|S software, making the decision consistent with long-term trends that began in the early 2010s. Piscatella stated the absence of a disc will not produce a meaningful impact on overall sales potential given the title's demand.