By Rockstar has set the date: digital pre-load for GTA 6 opens on Tuesday, November 10, nine days before launch. On PlayStation 5 it starts at midnight local time in each time zone; on Xbox Series X|S it opens everywhere at once, at 12 a.m. GMT. The download takes up to 212 GB depending on your console, and boxed copies with a download code reach shops from November 12. The announcement came with a new screenshot of Vice City, the one at the top of this page.
The pre-load in short
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | November 10, midnight local time |
| Xbox Series X|S | November 10, 12 a.m. GMT worldwide (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on November 9) |
| Download size | Up to 212 GB, depending on the console |
| Boxed copies | Code-in-box editions at retailers from November 12 |
| Launch | November 19, 2026 |
What changes on PS5 and Xbox
The two consoles open the doors differently. PlayStation does it the familiar way, time zone by time zone, so Australia and Japan get the button first and the Americas last. Xbox flips one switch for the whole planet: midnight in London, which means the evening of November 9 in the US. If you’re on Xbox in New York or Los Angeles, you can start downloading before you go to bed on Monday.
Pre-loading only puts the files on your drive. The game itself still unlocks at the launch time for your region on November 19, and nothing you download early lets you in sooner. The exact unlock times by country are in our release time guide.
212 GB: make room now
The official figure is up to 212 GB. That’s two gigabytes more than the 210 GB that showed up in the PlayStation Store data at the end of October, which we wrote about in our file size news. “Depending on your device” most likely means the PS5 Pro and the Xbox Series S will get slightly different packages, but Rockstar hasn’t broken it down.
On a standard 825 GB PS5 that is about a third of the usable space, so it’s worth clearing room before the 10th rather than on launch night. Our SSD and storage page covers which drives work, and the step-by-step for both consoles is on our pre-load page.
Boxed copies come with a code
The physical editions for both consoles are “code-in-box”: there’s no game on a disc, only a download code. Shops should have them from November 12. That matters for anyone who planned to buy a box to skip the download: the 212 GB still has to come over the internet, so if you’re buying physical, pick it up as early as you can and start the download right away.
A free poster and a $0.99 map
The same announcement has a small gift. On November 19 Rockstar will add a printable poster with the GTA 6 cover art and a map of Leonida to the official site as a free download. Shortly after launch a double-sided printed version will go on sale in the Rockstar Store for $0.99, or come free with any order from the store. It will be the first official map of the whole state, and our Leonida map page will get an update the day it appears.
As a technical artist, I’d point out that the new screenshot was picked for a reason: water, glass towers, boats with wakes and a beach full of people, all at once. It’s exactly the kind of frame that eats storage, and it explains the 212 GB better than any spec sheet.
FAQ
Is the GTA 6 map of Leonida free?
The printable poster with the cover art and the map is a free download on the official site from November 19. The double-sided printed version costs $0.99 in the Rockstar Store, or comes free with any order.
When does GTA 6 pre-load start on Xbox Series X|S?
On November 10 at 12 a.m. GMT worldwide, which is 7 p.m. ET or 4 p.m. PT on November 9.
Does the boxed version of GTA 6 have the game on a disc?
No. Both console editions sold in shops contain a download code, and they arrive at retailers from November 12.