GTA 6 preloading opens on PS5 and Xbox, with 212GB download before 19 November launch

Preload opens by time zone

Rockstar Games has opened the preload for Grand Theft Auto VI, which launches on 19 November 2026. On PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, the download became available at midnight local time on 10 November, so each region received access on its own clock. The Xbox Series X|S schedule began at 7 PM EST on 9 November, which 20 Minuten gave as 1 AM Swiss time on 10 November. Reports differ on which region went first: 20 Minuten named Kiribati, while TheJournal wrote that fans in New Zealand were first. Boxed copies are set to reach shops on 12 November.

Storage and download times

Rockstar puts the preload at up to 212GB, depending on platform and version. Engadget noted that a 512GB Xbox Series S has about 362GB of usable storage, so the game would take up more than half of it. TheJournal wrote that a download could take between about one hour and several hours, depending on connection quality. To download automatically on PS5, owners must enable auto-downloads and keep the console switched on or in rest mode. On Xbox, automatic updates must be enabled and the console must be on or in sleep mode, and a pre-order is needed before the preload can start on either platform.

Physical copies and prices

Boxed copies go on sale in shops from 12 November, and the box holds only a download code with no disc, Rockstar said. Engadget gave US prices of $80 for the Standard Edition and $100 for the Ultimate Edition. TheJournal reported European prices of 79.99 euros and 99.99 euros for the edition with in-game bonuses such as new weapons and cars.

Standard Edition80

Ultimate Edition100

Standard Edition

80 USD

Ultimate Edition

100 USD

Data from the article text

Smyths Toys' listing for the PS5 version says the box contains a double-sided A3 poster, a claim Spider's Web noted the publisher has not confirmed. 20 Minuten reported that Rockstar will offer a free printable poster and a map of Leonida as digital downloads on 19 November. A double-sided printed version of the poster will be sold for $0.99 in the Rockstar Store, according to the same report.

Pre-orders and the series behind the launch

Sensor Tower counted nearly 8 million pre-orders about two weeks before release, while 20 Minuten put digital pre-orders at over 7.7 million. Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar, called pre-orders exceptional in early August without releasing a figure. Speaking with the company's results for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Strauss Zelnick ruled out any delay to the launch date, according to Spider's Web. The series has sold more than 475 million copies since 1997, and GTA V, released in 2013, has sold more than 230 million units according to Take-Two.