Grand Theft Auto VI launches on Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar has confirmed that the game unlocks at midnight local time in every region, so the first players to start will be in New Zealand while most of the world is still on November 18.
The date has already survived two delays and a launch trailer, and Take-Two has restated it in every financial update since. Nothing on the console side is still open. The only platform question that remains is PC, and Rockstar has said nothing about it.
Summary
- Release date: Thursday, November 19, 2026, at midnight local time
- Platforms at launch: PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, no PC or Switch 2 version announced
- Pre-load: November 10 on both consoles, download up to 212 GB
- Physical copies: code in a box from November 12, no disc inside
- Prices: Standard $79.99 or £69.99, Ultimate $99.99 or £89.99
When the game unlocks where you live
Midnight local time sounds simple, but the store regions do not all follow the same clock. In the United Kingdom the game opens at 12am GMT on November 19, and Central Europe gets it an hour earlier in real terms, at midnight CET. North America is keyed to Eastern time on the PlayStation Store, which means New York starts at 12am EST while Los Angeles can play from 9pm PST on Wednesday, November 18.
New Zealand goes first at midnight NZDT, which is 11am UTC on November 18, followed by Australia, Japan and the rest of Asia through the afternoon and evening. Xbox has not published a store-by-store schedule of its own, so Xbox players should plan around midnight in their time zone and treat anything earlier as a bonus.
How the date moved twice
| Date | What Rockstar announced | Release window |
|---|---|---|
| December 5, 2023 | First trailer | 2025 |
| May 2, 2025 | First delay, first exact date | May 26, 2026 |
| November 6, 2025 | Second delay | November 19, 2026 |
| October 15, 2026 | Launch trailer, date reconfirmed | November 19, 2026 |
| November 3, 2026 | Pre-load schedule published | Pre-load November 10 |
Rockstar’s head of publishing Jennifer Kolbe has since described the delays as the result of many interdependent systems taking longer than expected, rather than one dramatic problem. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said he was surprised by the second request but backed the extra time once he heard the reasons, and he has repeated the November date in interviews and earnings releases ever since. After the launch trailer closed on the same date in October, the delay talk largely died down.
Pre-load, physical copies and the download size
Digital pre-orders on PS5 can start pre-loading at midnight local time on Tuesday, November 10. On Xbox Series X|S the pre-load opens globally at 12am GMT on the same day, which is 7pm Eastern and 4pm Pacific on November 9. Rockstar puts the download at up to 212 GB depending on the console, so a slow connection is a good reason to start on day one of pre-load rather than launch night.
Physical copies are expected at retailers from November 12, and the box contains a download code rather than a disc. The code can be redeemed immediately to join the pre-load, and on PlayStation it must match the region of your account, while Xbox codes are not region locked. Every pre-order or purchase made before November 20 includes the Vintage Vice City Pack, and digital pre-orders add a free month of GTA+.
Editions and prices
There are two editions. The Standard Edition costs $79.99 in the United States, £69.99 in the UK and €79.99 in the eurozone, and it contains the full single-player game. The Ultimate Edition is digital only at $99.99, £89.99 or €99.99, and the extra $20 buys a set of vehicles, weapons and outfits woven into Jason and Lucia’s story: a ’95 Grotti Cheetah, a ’67 Vapid Dominator Buggy with its own garage in Watson Bay, a Shitzu Squalo boat, Hawk & Little Morgan revolvers, a classic car restoration questline, a gang compound raid, and five shops that only open for Ultimate owners, including Rideout Customs and the Electric Fang tattoo parlor.
PC and other platforms
Rockstar has only ever named PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. A PC version has not been announced, and neither has anything for Nintendo Switch 2. Rockstar’s own history is the best guide here: GTA 5 reached PC about 19 months after its console debut and Red Dead Redemption 2 took 13 months, so a PC release some time in 2027 or 2028 would fit the pattern without being promised by anyone.
FAQ
What time does GTA 6 come out?
At midnight local time on November 19, 2026. In the US the PlayStation Store uses Eastern time, so West Coast players can start at 9pm on November 18.
Is GTA 6 coming to PC?
Not at launch. No PC version or date has been announced.
Does the physical edition include a disc?
No. The box holds a download code and the full game still has to be downloaded.
Can I pre-order after the game comes out?
Yes, but the Vintage Vice City Pack bonus only applies to purchases made before November 20, 2026.
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