GTA 6 will also feature a physical map to hang on the wall, but this may break with a decades-long tradition.
For a long time, it was unclear whether GTA 6 would also include a physical map by Leonida that you can hang on your wall. In previous Rockstar games—both GTA and Red Dead Redemption—such a map was included for free with the physical disc version.
Because GTA 6 isn’t being released as a traditional physical version but only as a code-in-box, many fans had feared that this meant no map would be included. Now Rockstar has announced: The map is coming—but there’s apparently a catch.
The map from Leonida will cost you cash—or printer ink
On November 3 Rockstar announced that the pre-load for pre-order customers will begin even earlier than expected: on November 10. They also mentioned that the coveted map will be available shortly after release:
On November 19, we’ll make a print-ready version of the official Grand Theft Auto VI cover art and a map of Leonida available on the website as a free digital download. A double-sided physical version of this poster will also be available in the Rockstar Store shortly after launch—for $0.99 [Editor’s note: likely 0.99 euros here] as a standalone purchase or as a gift with any purchase from the Rockstar Store.
If you’d like a map of Leonida, you have three options to choose from:
- As a standalone purchase in the store for 1 euro: Additional shipping costs apply here, as free shipping isn’t available until orders reach 70 euros
- As a free bonus with purchases made in the store
- As a download that you’ll need to print yourself
Whether this means that the physical version of GTA 6 will not include a map is not 100 percent clear from the announcement. However, it would be very strange if Rockstar didn’t mention a map in the game package right away.
The decisions surrounding the release underscore the clear shift toward purely digital sales. For one thing, the game disc is completely missing, and even the more expensive Ultimate Edition is available only digitally. Additionally, those who pre-order the digital version can start preloading two days earlier than those who pre-ordered the physical version.
It’s therefore conceivable that Rockstar is deliberately choosing not to include a coveted bonus item with the physical Standard Edition because it would contradict its own strategy: It would simply be far too strong an argument for people to head back to the store shelves instead of clicking the download button.
Fans are in an uproar
As expected, the topic is being hotly debated on Reddit and other platforms. One user puts it bluntly: “That’s absolutely outrageous,” says another A user writes: “I miss the days when that was just part of the game.”
But some haven’t given up hope yet that the map will be included with the Code-in-Box version, as this user: “That just means that those who have the digital version can still get it.”
We’ll probably only get real clarity once the game boxes are shipped a week before release.
How important is this collector’s item to you? Do you still have all the cards from the other games at home, or have you always ignored them anyway? Feel free to let us know in the comments!
