As of 1 October 2026, GTA 6 is 49 days away: it launches on Thursday 19 November 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. No store or Rockstar page states an unlock time; our estimate (not official) is midnight local time in each region.
Physical copies and the PlayStation pre-load arrive a week earlier, around 12 November, so you have about six weeks to pre-order and free up storage.
GTA 6 countdown: days until launch
| Milestone | Date | Time left from 1 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-orders, Vintage Vice City Pack and a free month of GTA+ | Open now; bonuses for purchases before 19 November | Available today |
| Physical copies in shops (download code, no disc) | 12 November 2026 | 42 days (6 weeks) |
| Digital pre-load on PlayStation Store | Seven days before release, so around 12 November | About 42 days |
| Launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S | 19 November 2026 | 49 days (7 weeks) |
| Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album and the collector's box | 19 November 2026 | 49 days |
| Last day to buy and still get the pre-order bonuses | 19 November 2026, 23:59:59 | 49 days |
Recount from today's date by adding the days left in the current month to the days into November up to the 19th. Rockstar has kept the 19 November release date since November 2025, so the count only changes if Rockstar announces a new one.
GTA 6 release date and platforms
The release date is 19 November 2026, and it has not moved since Rockstar set it in November 2025 after two earlier delays.
| Detail | What is confirmed |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday 19 November 2026 |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X|S |
| Not on | PS4, Xbox One or PC at launch; no Windows release is scheduled |
| Unlock time | Not stated by Rockstar or any store; our estimate (not official) is midnight local time on 19 November |
| Pre-load | 7-Day Pre-load on both PlayStation editions |
| Physical edition | Code in box, in shops on 12 November |
| Mode | Single-player; Sony's listing calls it a single-player experience |
The original target was 2025; the date slipped twice, and why GTA 6 was delayed comes down to the amount of work left and extra polish.
GTA 6 unlock time in your time zone (our estimate)
Rockstar has not published an unlock time, and neither the PlayStation Store nor the Xbox Store lists one; both show only the 19 November 2026 date. Our estimate (not official): digital copies unlock at midnight local time on 19 November in each store region, the way pre-orders were reported to open at local midnight in June. Every row below is that estimate.
| Where you are | Estimated local unlock (not official) | Same moment in UTC |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (NZDT, UTC+13) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 11:00, 18 November |
| Sydney (AEDT, UTC+11) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 13:00, 18 November |
| Japan (JST, UTC+9) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 15:00, 18 November |
| India (IST, UTC+5:30) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 18:30, 18 November |
| Central Europe (CET, UTC+1) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 23:00, 18 November |
| UK (GMT) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 00:00, 19 November |
| US Eastern (EST, UTC-5) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 05:00, 19 November |
| US Central (CST, UTC-6) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 06:00, 19 November |
| US Pacific (PST, UTC-8) | 12:00 AM, 19 November | 08:00, 19 November |
If Rockstar picks one simultaneous worldwide time instead, every row changes. Check what time GTA 6 unlocks again in launch week, when the PlayStation and Xbox stores may publish their own times.
GTA 6 preload date and how to play at unlock
Both PlayStation editions list a 7-Day Pre-load, so pre-loading should open around 12 November 2026, the same day physical copies (a download code in the box) reach shops. A pre-ordered PS5 copy downloads by itself once pre-loading opens, as long as automatic downloads are on. Set this up well before 12 November.
- Pre-order GTA 6 on the PlayStation Store from the same account you play on.
- On the PS5, go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Automatic Updates and turn on Auto-Download.
- Go to Settings > System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode and turn on Stay Connected to the Internet.
- Free up storage before pre-load starts; Rockstar has not published the file size.
- Leave the console in rest mode during pre-load week so the download finishes.
- On launch night, open the game at your local unlock time from the table above.
On Xbox, GTA 6 pre-load timing has not been listed yet, so keep automatic updates on there too.
GTA 6 price and editions
| Edition | Price (US) | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | $79.99 | The game, Vintage Vice City Pack and one month of GTA+ when bought before release; digital or code in box |
| Ultimate Edition | $99.99 | The game, Ultimate Edition Upgrade, Vintage Vice City Pack and one month of GTA+; digital |
| Ultimate Edition Upgrade | $20.00 | Upgrades a Standard copy to Ultimate |
| The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection | Rockstar Store | Collector's box of physical items; the game is sold separately |
Outside the US, the GTA 6 price by region follows each store's local pricing.
GTA 6 on Xbox Game Pass
GTA 6 is not announced for Xbox Game Pass; plan to buy it. The Xbox store lists GTA 6 at $79.99 and $99.99 with pre-orders, and no Game Pass inclusion is shown. Game Pass Ultimate promises only select new games on day one, and Rockstar has made no Game Pass announcement for GTA 6.
GTA 6 PC release date (our estimate)
No PC version is announced, and Take-Two's chief executive has implied PC is not Rockstar's core audience. Rockstar's last two big releases reached PC well after console, which is the basis for the estimate below.
| Game | Console release | PC release | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Theft Auto V | September 2013 | 14 April 2015 | About 19 months |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | October 2018 | November 2019 | About 13 months |
| Grand Theft Auto VI | 19 November 2026 | Not announced | Our estimate (not official): late 2027 to mid 2028, if the same 13 to 19 month gap holds |
The estimate will be replaced by Rockstar's date when one is announced. A former Rockstar producer has said the studio develops for consoles first, which explains why GTA 6 has no PC launch version.
GTA 6 trailers released so far
| Video | Released | Notable for |
|---|---|---|
| Trailer 1 | 4 December 2023, a day early after a leak | Revealed the title, Jason and Lucia, Vice City and a 2025 window; 93 million first-day views |
| Trailer 2 | 6 May 2025 | Recorded in-game on PS5; 475 million views across platforms in 24 hours |
| Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look | 27 August 2026 | 27 minutes of footage, premiered on Netflix six hours before YouTube |
Trailer 2 holds the most detail per minute, and everything Trailer 2 revealed is still the best preview of the map and cast.
GTA 6 announcements since June 2026
| Date | Announcement |
|---|---|
| 18 June 2026 | Cover art and the Standard and Ultimate editions revealed |
| 25 June 2026 | Pre-orders open at midnight local time on PlayStation Store |
| August 2026 | Press outlets report 30 FPS on both consoles at launch; Rockstar's own pages state no frame rate |
| 27 August 2026 | An Extended Look premieres on Netflix and YouTube |
| 3 September 2026 | Sony shows limited-edition GTA VI DualSense controllers |
| 17 September 2026 | Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, 34 original tracks, announced for 19 November |
| 24 September 2026 | The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection collector's box goes on pre-order |
GTA 6 story and main characters
Rockstar's summary: Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them, and when an easy score goes wrong they end up in a criminal conspiracy stretching across Leonida.
| Character | Who they are |
|---|---|
| Jason Duval | Army veteran who worked for local drug runners in the Leonida Keys |
| Lucia Caminos | The series' first non-optional female lead, jailed at Leonida Penitentiary after fighting for her family |
| Cal Hampton | Jason's paranoid friend |
| Boobie Ike | Runs a business empire in Vice City and co-owns Only Raw Records |
| Dre'Quan Priest | Owner of Only Raw Records with Boobie |
| Real Dimez | Bae-Luxe and Roxy, a musical duo signed to Only Raw |
| Raul Bautista | A seasoned bank robber who recruits the pair |
| Brian Heder | A local boss who hands Jason and Lucia work |
Rockstar has kept the rest of the GTA 6 story under wraps beyond the trailers and character pages.
GTA 6 gameplay features shown so far
| Feature | What has been shown |
|---|---|
| Two leads | Play as Jason or Lucia in third person; split up for separate activities or stay together |
| Activities | Skydiving, wrestling, basketball, exercising and scuba diving in free roam |
| Reputation | A Criminal Profile tracks whether each character keeps crimes professional |
| Bodies | Characters gain or lose weight, and lack of sleep shows on their faces |
| Social media | Snapmatic returns as a full parody social media app |
| Appearance | Change hair, clothes and accessories |
| Monetisation | No microtransactions in either edition at launch, Rockstar told the Kinda Funny show |
Generative AI in GTA 6
No. Rockstar has told press there is no generative AI in GTA 6. Rockstar gave that answer to the Kinda Funny show in late August 2026, alongside its statement that neither edition will have microtransactions at launch. The game's world was built with human research and art, including a Miami-based research team and more than 50 street artists who designed its murals.
Frequently asked questions
How long until GTA 6 comes out?
From 1 October 2026 there are 49 days, or exactly seven weeks, until GTA 6 launches on 19 November 2026. Physical copies and pre-loading arrive a week earlier, on 12 November, which is 42 days away.
What time does GTA 6 release?
Rockstar has not announced an unlock time, and no store page lists one; the PlayStation and Xbox stores show only 19 November 2026. Our estimate (not official) is midnight local time on 19 November in each region, as pre-orders were reported to open at local midnight.
Is there an official GTA 6 countdown timer?
Rockstar's GTA VI site shows the date, Coming November 19, 2026, rather than a ticking clock. Store pre-order pages show the release date too. Count the days yourself from today to 19 November, or use the dates on this page.
Was there a GTA 6 trailer countdown?
Rockstar announced Trailer 1 a month ahead, on 8 November 2023, and then dated it for 5 December before a leak pushed it out on 4 December. No further trailer is announced before launch as of 1 October 2026.
Can I pre-load GTA 6?
Yes. Both PlayStation editions list a 7-Day Pre-load, and physical copies, which contain a download code, reach shops on 12 November so owners can download before release. Turn on automatic downloads so the pre-load starts by itself.
Is GTA 6 coming to PS4 or Xbox One?
No. GTA 6 launches only on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and Sony's listing states it cannot be played on PS4. Players on older consoles need to upgrade to play it at launch.
Will GTA 6 be delayed again?
Nothing points to it. Rockstar's site still lists 19 November 2026, pre-orders are live, and the album, collector's box and physical copies are all dated to launch week. Check Rockstar's own channels before believing any delay claim.
What to do before GTA 6 launches
Mark 19 November 2026 and set up pre-loading before 12 November. The date has held since November 2025, everything around it is now scheduled, and a pre-loaded copy is the only way to start at the first minute. While you wait, the GTA V Enhanced download is the closest thing to Rockstar's newest world.
