GTA 6 release guide: date, unlock times, price and platforms

Four days to go. GTA 6 launches on Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X|S, with Xbox One players able to stream it via Xbox Cloud Gaming. Take-Two confirmed on Nov 9 that development is finished. This section covers everything about getting the game running on day one, and we flag which numbers are confirmed and which are not.

When can I play GTA 6?

At midnight local store time on Nov 19. New Zealand goes first, at 11:00 UTC on Nov 18. The UK unlocks at midnight GMT. The whole US store unlocks at midnight Eastern, so Pacific players start at 9 PM on Wednesday, Nov 18, and Xbox Cloud Gaming starts at 1 AM ET. Every region is in our release time by country table.

What do I need before launch?

• The download. Pre-load opened Nov 10. Rockstar says you need up to 212 GB; Xbox’s 225 GB listing is the same size in decimal units.
• The patch. Update 1.002.000 (about 1.07 GB on PS5) has been rolling out since Nov 13.
• A redeemed code if you bought a box. There is no disc.

Our day-one checklist walks through it step by step.

Which numbers are right?

The launch has produced a lot of stale or wrong figures. The quick corrections:

• Pre-load is Nov 10, not Nov 12.
• There is no 60 fps mode; every console targets 30 fps.
• There is no disc, despite older “disc confirmed” headlines.
• The base price is $79.99, not the long-rumoured $100.
• The review embargo of Nov 18 is reported, not confirmed by Rockstar.

Start here

• Release time by country: exact unlock times for the US, UK, India, Australia and more.
• Release date: Nov 19, 2026, and the two delays that got us here.
• Pre-load and file size: start times, 212 GB, and the Xbox 225 GB explanation.
• Price and editions: regional price table and what Ultimate adds.
• Pre-order bonuses: the Vintage Vice City Pack and the free GTA+ month.
• Physical copy: no disc: what is in the box and the used-code reports.
• Collector’s Box: $399.99 of merch, game not included.
• PS5 Pro and performance: 30 fps, PSSR and ray-traced shadows.
• Series S and cloud gaming: native Series S, Xbox One via the cloud.
• PC release date: not announced; the Q1 2027 report.
• Switch 2: no announcement, and what Nintendo said.
• Reviews and embargo: the reported Nov 18 date.
• Age rating: ESRB M, PEGI 18 and every other board.
• Day-one patch: update 1.002.000 explained.
• GTA Online status: single-player only at launch.
• Sales and pre-orders: Sensor Tower’s estimates and Take-Two’s guidance.

Want the story and the world instead? Head to the characters or the map of Leonida. Quick answers live in the GTA 6 FAQ.