Rockstar is missing huge GTA 6 opportunity after Red Dead Redemption 2's secret ending reveal

Rockstar Games is missing a huge opportunity with the release of the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition after a secret ending was revealed in the Red Dead Redemption 2 steelbook case.

The digital-only Grand Theft Auto VI Ultimate Edition costs £89.99 in the UK and $99.99 in the US. Gamers were understandably disappointed to learn that it not only includes exclusive DLC, but also locks some cosmetic shops in Vice City behind a paywall.

Compared to the Red Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition, the GTA VI version offers considerably less value. RDR2 included bonus missions and exclusive cosmetic DLC, as well as a physical copy of the game in a gorgeous steelbook case with a physical map of the game’s world. Best of all, it cost the same as the digital-only GTA VI Ultimate Edition.

GTA 6 Ultimate Edition is a missed opportunity to tease another secret ending

Just a heads up, I am about to reveal spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2, a game that was originally released in 2018. To cut a long and emotional story short, Micah Bell manipulates Dutch van der Linde to turn on Arthur Morgan. What’s more, this ending was teased by Rockstar Games before players loaded up the game for the first time.

Inside of the steelbook case included in the physical version of the Red Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition, both sides are essentially split into two factions of the Dutch van der Linde gang.

On one side, it has Arthur Morgan, Sadie Adler, John Marston and Charles Smith. On the other side, it has Dutch van der Linde, Javier Escuella and Micah Bell. This image teased how the game would later evolve into an intense camp split for a band of outlaws who once considered each other family.

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Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games

One of the most disappointing aspects of GTA VI not having a physical release is that the Ultimate Edition could have been bundled with a steelbook.

As mentioned by X user NikTek, taking inspiration from Red Dead Redemption 2, it could have featured both protagonists, Jason and Lucia, on either side of the case, hinting that tensions could come to a boiling point towards the end of the GTA VI story campaign.

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Could GTA 6 still get a physical edition?

Rockstar Games has given no clear indication whether or not it will eventually release a physical version of GTA VI. To be somewhat optimistic, once it feels the digital sales wave has calmed down a little, a collector’s edition could later be announced to respark GTA VI hype months down the line.

If a GTA VI Collector’s Edition includes a physical copy and steelbook, it could lend credibility to the “leaked” images circulating in September 2026.

As an old saying goes, “manufactured goodwill”, with Rockstar Games potentially deliberately creating a problem by taking away a GTA VI physical release, but later solving its own problem by releasing a physical version to give a false impression of being consumer-friendly.

Grand Theft Auto VI will be released on November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.