Why GTA 6 could mean bad news for Netflix, TikTok and YouTube as experts predict $1,000,000,000 in pre-sales

Another day, and still there's a Grand Theft Auto 6 void in our lives yet to be filled.

It's been almost 12 years since Rockstar dropped its last instalment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, with GTA 5 released to the Xbox 360 and PS3 before joining PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Grand Theft Auto 5 broke records in 2013 by generating $800 million in sales within 24 hours and surpassing $1 billion in three days.

Expectations for GTA 6 are even higher, with DFC Intelligence projecting it to make $1 billion in pre-orders alone, as reported by the Financial Times.

As for its first year, DFC forecasts it to draw in more than $3.2 billion, which works out to double what GTA V made in the same period.

While it's not yet known exactly when GTA 6 will drop, Rockstar Games promised patient fans it would land be before the end of 2025.

One video game retailer in South America listed the release date as September 17 2025 - which would make it 12 years to the day GTA 5 was released.

When the day does come, though, it's major streaming and social media platforms who might be quaking in their boots... if only for a little while.

Research from the Mobile Premier League (MPL) has shown that top sites, particularly Netflix, TikTok, and YouTube, will be preparing to combat a worrying dip in viewership as attention turns to GTA 6.

GTA 6 will have a female lead (Rockstar Games)

A spokesperson said: “Data from recent blockbuster game launches shows that millions of users reallocate their screen time from traditional media to gaming.

"The engagement metrics of titles like these are forcing all digital entertainment platforms to reconsider how they capture consumer attention.”

They added: "While streaming platforms might face short-term engagement shifts, the broader trend indicates that interactive gaming is set to command an increasingly larger share of screen time."

Netflix

Back in 2018, in the Q4 shareholder letter, Netflix admitted it 'competes with (and loses to) Fortnite more than HBO,' highlighting the grapple between gaming and streaming for consumer attention.

GTA Online still draws in tens of millions of active users nearly a decade after its debut - so just imagine what that could mean for GTA 6.

And while Netflix’s subscription model minimizes immediate revenue loss, any dip in engagement 'could impact long-term subscriber retention,' MPL explains.

YouTube

Attention will turn to GTA 6 when it finally releases (Janina Steinmetz/Getty Images)

YouTube is likely to see a surge in GTA 6-related content, given the immense hype around the game - especially if last year's trailer is anything to go by.

It became the most-watched YouTube video in the first 24 hours post-release and has racked up more than 242 million views as of today, so it's safe to say there's demand for content surrounding the game.

So, we can expect an influx of GTA live streams, walkthroughs and reaction videos to hit our feeds when it releases.

When it comes to gaming content, then, you might argue the video sharing platform would receive a bit of a boost.

But overall non-gaming viewership may temporarily decline, which could have a brief knock-on effect on ad revenue, MPL warns.

TikTok

TikTok, renowned for its short-form content, could also experience a brief drop in viewership during the initial gaming frenzy.

Especially if the majority of people use TikTok like I do - one minute you're mindlessly scrolling and the next, three hours have passed.

There'll be less time for scrolling when you're busy exploring Vice City, that's for sure.

Similar to YouTube, though, floods of GTA 6 gameplay clips and trending challenges will no doubt keep the platform relevant.