Players can now download Grand Theft Auto VI before it is playable, on PS5 and the Xbox Series consoles. Preloading opened on 10 November, nine days before the game unlocks on 19 November, and it is open only to people who have already bought the digital edition.
Clear room first: the game occupies as much as 212GB, with the exact figure varying by console. On a 512GB Xbox Series S, that is more than half of the usable storage, so many players will have to delete games first.
On PS5, Rockstar’s newswire post sets the start at midnight local time on 10 November. Xbox owners were reported to get access at 12:00 AM GMT, which is 5 AM in Pakistan, though a few outlets gave different Xbox times. Preloading does not let anyone play early: the game stays locked until launch.
The date moved up. Preloading was first planned for 12 November, and Rockstar brought it forward by two days. Physical copies reach shops on 12 November, but the box holds a download code rather than a disc, so those buyers get a week to download as well.
To set it up on PS5, open the GTA 6 page on the PlayStation Store, choose the preload option and switch on Auto-Download for the pre-order in your Game Library. On Xbox, find the game in the Microsoft Store and select install, or turn on “Keep My Games & Apps Up to Date” under Settings, System, Updates. Both consoles need to be on or in rest or sleep mode for the download to run by itself.
A 212GB file can take hours on a slow line, which is why Rockstar opened the preload early. Launch-day servers are likely to be busy, and a game that is already installed only needs a small day-one patch, if there is one.
Rockstar has priced the Standard Edition at $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition at $99.99. Both are announced only for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and there is no PC release date. Instead of a paper map in the box, Rockstar will release a free printable Leonida map on 19 November. A printed copy follows soon after for $0.99, or free with another Rockstar Store order.
Launch week has plenty else planned. Rockstar and PlayStation are also holding a launch concert in Miami on 21 November, two days after the game unlocks, and the game goes live at midnight in each time zone rather than everywhere at once.
This comes days after Take-Two said pre-orders were far above its expectations. The next date to watch is 12 November, when physical codes arrive.
