GTA 6 release date: November 19, 2026

GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S and has gone gold. Unlock times, 212 GB pre-load, delay timeline and what is still unconfirmed.

gta6.ar editorial teamPublished Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Nov 11, 2026

5 min read

Giant Vice City letters at sunset with a plane flying past, official GTA 6 screenshot — Official screenshot · © Rockstar Games

Short answer

GTA 6 releases Thursday, November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. On November 9, Take-Two said Rockstar has completed development, so the game has gone gold and no further delay is expected. It unlocks at midnight local time, starting in New Zealand. Digital pre-loads opened November 10 and need up to 212 GB.

Key points

Official date: Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The game has gone gold: Take-Two confirmed development is complete on November 9, 2026.
Unlock: midnight local time on November 19. New Zealand gets there first.
Digital pre-load open since November 10, up to 212 GB. Boxed codes hit stores November 12.
Review embargo reported for November 18. That is a rumor; Rockstar has not confirmed it.
No PC version has been announced.

When does GTA 6 come out?

Confirmed. Grand Theft Auto VI launches Thursday, November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. On Take-Two’s November 9 earnings call, CEO Strauss Zelnick said “Rockstar has completed the development of GTA VI”. In other words, the game has gone gold: the version going on sale is locked.

There is no PS4 or PC version. Xbox One owners can play only through Xbox Cloud Gaming. The per-console breakdown is on the platforms page.

What time does GTA 6 unlock, and when can you pre-load?

Confirmed. Rockstar set the unlock for midnight local time on November 19, rolling out time zone by time zone. New Zealand gets there first, at midnight NZDT, which is 3 a.m. PT / 6 a.m. ET on November 18.

What	PS5	Xbox Series X\|S	Xbox Cloud Gaming
Pre-load	Nov 10, midnight local	Nov 10, 00:00 GMT (7 p.m. ET, Nov 9)	Not needed
Unlock	Nov 19, midnight local (by account region)	Nov 19, midnight local	Nov 19, 1 a.m. ET (06:00 UTC) worldwide
Free space	Up to 212 GB	Up to 212 GB	None

Sources: PlayStation Blog (Nov 3), VGC, Pure Xbox and Xbox Wire (Nov 10). Reviewed November 11, 2026.

Before launch night:

On PS5, your account region decides the unlock, not where you are physically.
You need to own the game to pre-load. Rockstar’s wording is that pre-loading “is now available for everyone who has pre-ordered”. Bought a boxed copy? Redeem the code first. Store listings show roughly 210 GB, but Rockstar asks for up to 212 GB free.
Cloud starts later. Xbox Cloud Gaming goes live at 1 a.m. ET for everyone, on Xbox consoles only (Series X|S and Xbox One), using Series S graphics settings.

The New Zealand account trick (community, not guaranteed). Push Square notes that a PlayStation account set to New Zealand unlocks first. Neither Rockstar nor Sony endorses it. You would also need to own the game on that account, and saves do not carry over between accounts. Full regional times are on the GTA 6 release time page, and storage details on GTA 6 download size.

Do physical copies come with a disc?

No. Physical editions are a box with a download code and reach stores on November 12, 2026. According to the PlayStation Blog, you can redeem the code as soon as you have it and start pre-loading before the 19th. Rockstar has no plans to print discs, even after launch. More on that in the no-disc physical edition story.

Release date timeline

Date	What happened	Status
Feb 4, 2022	Rockstar confirms development of the next GTA is “well underway”.	Historical
Dec 4, 2023	First trailer, with a 2025 window on PS5 and Xbox Series X\|S. Released early (around 6 p.m. ET) after a leak; it had been scheduled for Dec 5.	Replaced
May 2, 2025	First delay: new date May 26, 2026.	Replaced
Nov 6, 2025	Second delay: new date November 19, 2026.	Current
Jun 18, 2026	Cover art, editions and physical release date (November 12).	Current
Oct 15, 2026	Launch Trailer, set to Justice’s “Flower in a Hurricane”.	Released
Nov 3, 2026	Rockstar announces the November 10 pre-load, 212 GB size and midnight local unlock.	Current
Nov 9, 2026	Take-Two says development is complete and keeps November 19.	Current
Nov 10, 2026	Pre-load opens. Microsoft confirms Xbox One via cloud; Sony details PS5 Pro upgrades.	Current
Nov 12, 2026	Boxed download codes in stores.	Scheduled
Nov 19, 2026	Launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X\|S.	Scheduled

US dates, per Rockstar, Take-Two, PlayStation Blog, Xbox Wire, IGN, Eurogamer and GamesRadar+ (links in sources). Reviewed November 11, 2026.

Could GTA 6 be delayed again?

Very unlikely. The game slipped twice, in May and November 2025, both times for extra polish. This time is different: on November 9 Take-Two said development is finished, reiterated its fiscal 2027 net bookings outlook of $8.0 to $8.2 billion, and said pre-orders are tracking “far in excess of our initial expectations”. Push Square’s headline put it plainly: no last-minute delays. More in GTA 6 has gone gold. The full story is in why GTA 6 was delayed.

What day-one bonuses are there?

Confirmed. On November 19 Rockstar releases two free digital extras: a printable cover and a map of Leonida. Per VGC, the double-sided physical poster costs $0.99 at the Rockstar Store, or comes free with any Rockstar Store purchase. The boxed editions do not include a map.

When do GTA 6 reviews come out?

Rumor. Rockstar has not announced a date. NateTheHate and Insider Gaming report the review embargo lifts on November 18, 2026, the day before launch, with press copies sent out in late October. As of November 11 there are no scores on Metacritic or OpenCritic, so any score you see now is fake or speculation. We track it on GTA 6 reviews.

Confirmed. GTA VI is eligible for The Game Awards 2026: the cutoff is November 20 at 9 p.m. PT (Kotaku, October 15).

Still unconfirmed

Day-one patch. None announced. Infobae warns an extra download may be needed on launch day.
Review date. November 18 is a report, not an announcement.
Xbox Cloud Gaming availability by country. Xbox Wire says “supported markets” without a list.
A PC version. Not announced. GamesBeat reported Q1 2027 (rumor). See GTA 6 on PC.

FAQ

When does GTA 6 come out?

Thursday, November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Take-Two reaffirmed the date on November 9, 2026, when it said development was complete.

What time does GTA 6 unlock?

GTA 6 unlocks at midnight local time on November 19, 2026, on both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, rolling out region by region starting in New Zealand. On PS5 the unlock follows your PlayStation Store account region. Xbox Cloud Gaming starts later, at 1 a.m. ET on November 19 worldwide.

When can I pre-load GTA 6?

Digital pre-loads opened November 10, 2026: at midnight local time on PS5 and at midnight GMT on Xbox Series X|S (7 p.m. ET on November 9). Rockstar says to free up to 212 GB. Boxed copies with a download code reach stores November 12 and the code can be redeemed right away.

Could GTA 6 be delayed again?

Very unlikely. On Take-Two's November 9, 2026 earnings call, Strauss Zelnick said Rockstar has completed development of GTA VI, meaning the game has gone gold. The November 19, 2026 date stands.

Does GTA 6 have a day-one patch?

Rockstar had not announced one as of November 11, 2026. Infobae notes an extra download may still be needed on launch day, so keep your console online.

When is GTA 6 coming to PC?

There is no announced PC version or date as of November 11, 2026. GamesBeat reported a first-quarter 2027 target citing four anonymous sources, but Rockstar has not confirmed it.

Sources

Change log

Sep 17, 2026Page published with the full release-date timeline.
Nov 11, 2026Added the gone-gold confirmation from Take-Two, midnight local unlock, the November 10 pre-load and 212 GB size, day-one bonuses, review status and new timeline entries. Corrected Trailer 1 to December 4, 2023.

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