GTA 6 Launch Hub: Pre-load, Unlock Time and What to Do First
This page follows GTA 6's launch as it happens. Until pre-load opens it helps you get ready, during pre-load week it's about the download, and from launch night it points to the guides you need first. It moves on by itself, using your own clock.
Before pre-load
Pre-load opens November 12. Get ready now.
Three things decide how smooth launch night is: the right edition, enough free space, and knowing your exact unlock time. Sort them out this week.
- Will GTA 6 fit on your console?Pick your PS5 or Xbox, enter your free space and speed, and get your download time.
- Your unlock timeMidnight local time in most countries; the whole US at midnight Eastern.
- Standard or Ultimate Edition?What the extra $20 buys, and what every edition gets.
- Can you play it on your device?PS4, Xbox One, Switch 2, Steam Deck, phones and the cloud, answered.
- File size trackerThe latest reported download sizes for PS5 and Xbox.
- Reviews and Metacritic scoreReviews are reported for November 18. Every score lands here.
Pre-load week
Pre-load is open. Start your download now.
Start early: the files stay locked until your unlock time, and the store gets busier the closer launch gets.
- Will it fit, and how long will it take?Your free space, your speed, your finish time.
- File size trackerPS5 and Xbox download sizes as they're reported or confirmed.
- Your unlock timeMidnight local time in most countries; the whole US at midnight Eastern.
- Things to know before you playRead this while the download runs.
- Reviews and Metacritic scoreReviews are reported for November 18. Every score lands here.
- Patch notes and day-one updateEvery GTA 6 update, logged the day it arrives.
Launch day
GTA 6 is out. Here's what to read first.
The game unlocks at midnight local time as the launch rolls around the world. These guides cover your first hours in Leonida.
- Things to know before you playThe changes from GTA 5 that matter in your first hours.
- How money worksEarning, spending and what Rockstar has shown about robberies.
- The map of LeonidaEvery region, from Vice City to Mount Kalaga.
- The wanted systemHow heat and police response work.
- Patch notes and day-one updateEvery GTA 6 update, logged the day it arrives.
- Trophy and achievement listThe full list, with spoilers kept separate.
Launch week
GTA 6 launch week: guides and updates
The game is out everywhere. Our newest guides are below, and this hub keeps collecting them through launch week.
- Things to know before you playThe changes from GTA 5 that matter in your first hours.
- How money worksEarning, spending and what Rockstar has shown about robberies.
- The map of LeonidaEvery region, from Vice City to Mount Kalaga.
- Trophy and achievement listThe full list, with spoilers kept separate.
- Patch notes and day-one updateEvery GTA 6 update, logged the day it arrives.
- GTA 6 on PCWhere the PC version stands.
GTA 6 launch timeline
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November 12, 2026
Official Pre-load opens
For digital pre-orders on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Reported to open at midnight local time.
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November 12, 2026
Official Boxed Standard Edition in stores
The box holds a download code, not a disc, so it can pre-load too.
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November 18, 2026
Reported Reviews go live
The review embargo is reported for the day before launch. Rockstar hasn't announced it.
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November 18-19, 2026
Reported The unlock rolls around the world
Midnight local time from PlayStation Store listings, starting in New Zealand at 11:00 UTC on November 18. The whole US at midnight Eastern.
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November 19, 2026
Official GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
No edition gets early access.
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Before November 20, 2026
Official Last chance for the Vintage Vice City Pack
Every pre-order and every purchase before November 20 gets it, on any edition.
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December 11, 2026
Official Justice's GTA 6 score album
Grand Theft Auto VI: Original Score, on CD, vinyl and streaming.
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Early 2027
Reported PC version
GamesBeat reported a first-quarter 2027 PC release. Rockstar hasn't announced one.
How GTA 6's launch works
Official GTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Digital pre-orders, and the boxed Standard Edition's download code, can pre-load from November 12. No edition gets early access, and no PC version has been announced.
Reported Rockstar hasn't named an unlock hour. PlayStation Store listings point to midnight local time in each country, so New Zealand plays first, at 11:00 UTC on November 18, and the launch rolls west from there. The US is the exception: every US time zone is reported to unlock at once, at midnight Eastern, which is 9:00 PM on November 18 on the West Coast. The clock above shows both times where you are.
Reported The PS5 download is reported at 210 GB from PlayStation Store data, and the Xbox size hasn't been announced. Pre-load early, keep the console online, and expect a day-one patch. The pre-load planner works out whether it fits and how long it will take.
Your GTA 6 launch checklist
Tick these off as you go. Your ticks stay in this browser, and you can print the list.
- Official Buy or pre-order before November 20 to get the Vintage Vice City Pack, on any edition. Not sure which? Try our edition chooser.
- Check GTA 6 fits on your console, and clear space if it doesn't, with the pre-load planner.
- Official Pre-load from November 12. Bought a boxed copy? Redeem its download code first.
- Add your unlock time to your calendar with the clock above.
- Turn on automatic downloads and keep the console connected in rest mode, so any day-one patch is ready.
- Ignore any "early download" or GTA 6 APK. They're fake and can carry malware.
- If your pre-order came with a free month of GTA+, note when it renews.
- Read things to know before you play while the download runs.
- Subscribe to GameSight on YouTube for launch-week breakdowns.
FAQ
When does GTA 6 come out?
GTA 6 comes out on November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It's expected to unlock at midnight local time, based on PlayStation Store listings, and at midnight Eastern for the whole US.
When can I pre-load GTA 6?
From November 12, 2026, a week before launch, for digital pre-orders and the boxed Standard Edition's download code. Pre-load is reported to open at midnight local time. The game stays locked until your unlock time.
Can I play GTA 6 early?
No. Pre-loading only downloads the game, and the Ultimate Edition doesn't unlock any sooner. Any "early" or "leaked" download you see is fake and often carries malware.
What should I do first when GTA 6 unlocks?
Install the day-one patch if there is one, then start the story. Our things to know before you play guide covers what's changed from GTA 5, and this hub links our newest guides through launch week.
Where can I watch GameSight's GTA 6 coverage?
Every GameSight breakdown is on our videos page and on the GameSight YouTube channel. The latest ones are below.
Latest from GameSight on YouTube
All videos
Newest guides
Guides
GTA 6 Trophy List and Achievements: When It's Coming
Nobody has seen GTA 6's trophy list yet. This page is built to fill in within minutes of it appearing. Until then, here's when to expect it, what Rockstar's last big list looked like, and how we'll handle spoilers.
News
GTA 6 Reviews and Metacritic Score: Live Roundup
GTA 6's reviews are reported to land on November 18, the day before launch. This page is built to fill in as they go live: scores, one-line verdicts and the Metacritic and OpenCritic averages. Until then, here's what we know.
Guides
Can You Play GTA 6 on PS4, Switch 2, Steam Deck or Phone?
GTA 6 launches on November 19 on two console families and nothing else. Here's a straight yes, no or not announced for every device people ask about, plus what Game Pass, PS Plus and cloud streaming really mean for launch day.
News
GTA 6 Patch Notes: Day-One Update and Every Title Update
Rockstar hasn't announced a GTA 6 day-one patch or posted any patch notes. This page is built to log every update the day it arrives. Until then, here's where the notes will appear and how to be ready for launch-week downloads.
Guides
GTA 6 File Size and Pre-load: How Many GB on PS5 and Xbox
GTA 6 pre-loads from November 12, and the first PS5 figure says it's a 210 GB download. Here's what's official, what's only reported, how much room each console really has and how to get ready before launch week.
Guides
GTA 6 Phone Apps: Every In-Game App Confirmed So Far
Jason and Lucia's phones do real work in GTA 6. They scan cars before you steal them, call a ride across Vice City, keep tabs on Snapmatic and hold your money. Here's every app Rockstar and the previews have named, what each one does and what's still unknown.