On this page
Open the live GTA 6 countdown for a pre-load timer and every key date before launch, or check the GTA 6 unlock time in your time zone.
The essentials
- Release date
- Thursday, November 19, 2026 official
- Platforms
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S official
- PS4 and Xbox One
- No version; PlayStation says it is not playable on PS4 official
- PS5 unlock
- Midnight in each store region's main time zone. US: 12:00 AM ET (9:00 PM PT on Nov 18), per the PS Store listing official
- Xbox unlock
- Not announced; the Microsoft Store data shows the same timestamps as PS5 not announced
- Pre-load
- November 12, 2026, from local midnight (Rockstar Support) official
- Physical edition
- Download code in a box, no disc, available from November 12 official
- Price
- $79.99 Standard, $99.99 Ultimate (UK £69.99 / £89.99) official
- Online at launch
- No. Single-player only on November 19 official
- Multiplayer later
- Expected, per Twitch's CEO and a tribunal filing reported
- Gone gold
- Not announced not announced
- Launch trailer
- Not released not announced
- PC
- Not announced not announced
Is November 19, 2026 final?
As final as a game date gets. Rockstar set November 19 on November 6, 2025, apologized for "adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait," and said the extra months would let the team finish the game to the standard players expect. Take-Two then repeated the date in its February 3, May 21 and August 7, 2026 earnings releases and at its September 17 shareholder meeting, where CEO Strauss Zelnick called the launch "a single player experience on two major platforms."
The signals since point the same way. On August 26, 2026, responding to leaked footage, Rockstar said the team was "nearly there." In a Famitsu interview published two days later, Rob Nelson, co-studio head at Rockstar North, said the game "will definitely be released" in November. Pre-orders have been live since June 25, Sony is selling a GTA 6 DualSense on November 19, and Atlantic Records releases a 34-track soundtrack album the same day. Partners do not build launches around a date the publisher expects to move, and Rockstar has now dated its own merchandise too: the $399.99 Collector's Box it put on pre-order on September 24 ships from November 19, without the game.
What time does GTA 6 unlock?
On PS5, the PlayStation Store listings put the unlock at midnight in each store region's main time zone. New Zealand gets in first, and the whole US unlocks at once at 12:00 AM Eastern, which is 9:00 PM Pacific on Wednesday, November 18. The Microsoft Store page shows only the date, although its listing data carries the same timestamps, and neither Microsoft nor Rockstar has announced an Xbox time.
| City | PS5 unlock (local) | In UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | Thu Nov 19, 12:00 AM | Wed Nov 18, 11:00 |
| Sydney | Thu Nov 19, 12:00 AM | Wed Nov 18, 13:00 |
| Tokyo | Thu Nov 19, 12:00 AM | Wed Nov 18, 15:00 |
| Berlin | Thu Nov 19, 12:00 AM | Wed Nov 18, 23:00 |
| London | Thu Nov 19, 12:00 AM | Thu Nov 19, 00:00 |
| New York | Thu Nov 19, 12:00 AM | Thu Nov 19, 05:00 |
| Chicago | Wed Nov 18, 11:00 PM | Thu Nov 19, 05:00 |
| Los Angeles | Wed Nov 18, 9:00 PM | Thu Nov 19, 05:00 |
We read these from each country's PlayStation Store listing on September 23, 2026 and re-checked the US, UK, French, German, Australian and New Zealand listings on September 28, with no change. Store times can still change before launch. Perth, Brisbane, India, Brazil, Mexico, the Xbox question and a detector for your own time zone are on the GTA 6 release time page.
No edition unlocks early. Standard and Ultimate share the same unlock, and pre-ordering gets you the November 12 pre-load, not extra play time. official What the "early access" claims you may see actually mean is on can you play GTA 6 early?
How the date moved: two delays
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| Dec 4, 2023 | Trailer 1 promises the game for 2025. |
| May 16, 2024 | Take-Two narrows the window to fall 2025. |
| May 2, 2025 | First delay. Moved to Tuesday, May 26, 2026. |
| Nov 6, 2025 | Second delay. Moved to Thursday, November 19, 2026. |
| Feb 3, 2026 | Take-Two's fiscal Q3 release cites "the highly anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19th." |
| May 21, 2026 | Take-Two reaffirms November 19 on its fiscal Q4 call. |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Take-Two reaffirms it again on its Q1 call. |
| Sept 17, 2026 | Shareholder meeting confirms a single-player launch on November 19. |
What Rockstar said each time, and why the extra months were needed, is on the GTA 6 delays page. Every other milestone since 2013, from trailers to pre-orders, is on the GTA 6 timeline.
- Mon
Xbox Support says you can cancel a Microsoft Store pre-order in Order history up to 10 days before launch. Card pre-orders are charged around then, and after that you have to request a refund instead.
- TueSafest last day to cancel a PS5 pre-orderofficial rule
Starting the download, and a pre-load counts, ends your right to cancel a PlayStation Store pre-order. A US pre-load may begin at 9:00 PM PT on November 11 (our reading of the store clock), so with Auto-Download on, cancel by November 10 or turn Auto-Download off.
- Thu
Pre-load starts at local midnight on PS5 and Xbox. The boxed Standard Edition, a download code with no disc, ships from the same day.
- Wed to ThuGTA 6 unlocks, region by regionofficial
PS5 unlocks at midnight in each store region's main time zone. New Zealand goes first (11:00 UTC on November 18), then Australia (13:00 UTC), the UK (00:00 GMT on November 19) and the US and Canada (midnight ET, which is 9:00 PM PT on November 18). Xbox has not listed a time.
- Thu
GTA 6 is out on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. GTA VI: The Album and the Limited Edition DualSense release the same day, and Rockstar starts shipping its $399.99 Collector's Box (the game is sold separately).About the Collector's Box
- ThuLast day for the pre-order bonusofficial
The Vintage Vice City Pack comes with every pre-order and purchase made before November 20, so launch day is the last day to get it.
What is still to come before launch
The dated events are in the Coming up list above. These milestones have no date yet:
| Milestone | Status on September 28 |
|---|---|
| Gone gold | Not announced. Rockstar has not said the final build is done. not announced |
| Launch trailer | Not released. For comparison, Red Dead Redemption 2's launch trailer came out October 18, 2018, eight days before release. not announced |
| Age rating | No final rating: the ESRB and PEGI databases have no entry. The UK and French PlayStation Store listings show a "PEGI Provisional 18" label, which is the store's placeholder, not a PEGI decision. M 17+ is expected. not announced |
| Review embargo | Not announced. not announced |
Why a Thursday?
Rockstar has not explained the choice, so this is our reading. GTA V launched on a Tuesday (September 17, 2013) and Red Dead Redemption 2 on a Friday (October 26, 2018). A Thursday gives players a long first weekend, and November 19 is one week before US Thanksgiving (November 26) and Black Friday (November 27). Take-Two's fiscal 2027 outlook of $8.0 to $8.2 billion in net bookings leans on that holiday quarter.
What to do before launch
- Pick an edition. Standard is $79.99 and Ultimate is $99.99. Ultimate is digital-only, and physical owners can add the $20 upgrade any time, so starting with Standard costs nothing. Compare them on Standard vs Ultimate, then see where to pre-order.
- Buy before November 20 for the bonus. Every purchase before then gets the Vintage Vice City Pack. Digital pre-orders on the PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store also add a free GTA+ month that auto-renews at $7.99; claim it and turn renewal off.
- Clear storage. The GTA 6 file size is not announced. Free 200 GB to be safe.
- Pre-load on November 12. Follow how to pre-load GTA 6 and leave the console in rest mode so any day-one patch can install overnight. On PlayStation, starting the download ends refund eligibility, so cancel and get a refund first if you have doubts.
- Physical buyers: redeem the code on arrival. The physical edition is a code in a box that becomes available to ship and pick up from November 12. Redeem it as soon as you have it to start the download.
- Plan launch night. Check your unlock time, then run through the launch-night checklist: rest mode settings, room for a patch, and what to do if the game tile stays locked.
Buying the box? Its code can only start the download once it arrives. Amazon's listing says shipments "will begin arriving November 12 for pre-load": Prime members get free release-day delivery that day (continental US addresses), and standard delivery can arrive later, so check the date at checkout. If pre-loading on day one matters to you, buy digital, or pick up a box from a store on November 12. What Amazon ships and when has the details.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, GTA6.how earns from qualifying purchases. Amazon's PS5 code works only on US and Canadian PlayStation accounts.New members can start a 30-day free trial (Amazon, checked September 28); a trial started before mid-October runs out before November 12, so start it later or keep the membership. Try Prime on AmazonPaid link: Amazon pays GTA6.how a fee if you sign up. As an Amazon Associate, GTA6.how earns from qualifying purchases.
PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch 2 and Game Pass
GTA 6 is confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only. There is no PS4 or Xbox One version: PlayStation's official GTA 6 page says it is not playable on PS4, and the Microsoft Store lists only Xbox Series X|S. official What that means for an old console, including Remote Play from a PS5, is on GTA 6 on PS4 and Xbox One.
PC, Switch 2 and Game Pass are not announced. not announced GTA IV, GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 reached PC 7 to 19 months after their console launches, and Take-Two's CEO called PC "more and more important" in September 2026; the GTA 6 PC release status tracker explains what that means. A Switch 2 version is an insider rumor about internal tests, and reporting says there is no day-one Game Pass deal. Every console and service side by side is on GTA 6 platforms.
Anything else, from the price to the map, gets a short answer on the GTA 6 FAQ, with a link to the full story.
How we tag facts: official comes from Rockstar, Take-Two, Sony or Microsoft, including their store listings. reported comes from a credible outlet. rumor is an insider claim. not announced means nothing has been announced. Sources are dated at the bottom of the page.
Pre-order the boxed GTA VI
Amazon sells the boxed Standard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc. Amazon delivers from November 12, the day pre-load opens, and standard delivery can arrive later, so check the date at checkout. The game unlocks November 19.
PS5GTA VI · PS5Standard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc, for US and Canadian PlayStation accounts. Amazon delivers from November 12, with release-day delivery for Prime members; it unlocks November 19.Pre-order on AmazonXbox Series X|SGTA VI · XboxStandard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc. Amazon delivers from November 12, with release-day delivery for Prime members; it unlocks November 19.Pre-order on AmazonPS5GTA VI DualSenseSony's official Grand Theft Auto VI Limited Edition controller in white, out November 19.Pre-order on AmazonAmazon's Pre-order Price Guarantee: "the price we charge when we ship it to you will be the lowest price offered by Amazon.com between the time you placed your order and the end of the day of the release date." Amazon's help page adds that it "does not apply to lower prices offered through any program that requires a customer to join the program to receive the lower price." Amazon's release date for the GTA VI boxes is November 12.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, GTA6.how earns from qualifying purchases. Prices, delivery dates and availability are set by Amazon and can change. How we choose products.
Frequently asked questions
When does GTA 6 come out?
Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar set the date on November 6, 2025. Take-Two repeated it in its February 3, May 21 and August 7, 2026 earnings releases and at its September 17, 2026 shareholder meeting.
What time does GTA 6 unlock?
On PS5, midnight in each store region's main time zone, going by the PlayStation Store listings: 12:00 AM Eastern across the US, or 9:00 PM Pacific on November 18. Xbox has not announced a time. Every region is on the GTA 6 release time page.
Has GTA 6 been delayed again?
No. It has been delayed twice: from fall 2025 to May 26, 2026 (announced May 2, 2025), then to November 19, 2026 (announced November 6, 2025). As of September 28, 2026 no credible outlet has reported a third delay, and in a Famitsu interview published in August 2026, Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson said the game "will definitely be released" in November. The full history is on every GTA 6 delay.
Was GTA 6 cancelled?
No. Take-Two repeated the November 19, 2026 date in its February 3, May 21 and August 7, 2026 earnings releases and at its September 17 shareholder meeting, and on September 24 Rockstar opened pre-orders for a Collector's Box that ships from November 19. To cancel your own pre-order, see how to cancel and refund a GTA 6 pre-order.
Is GTA 6 coming out on PS4, Xbox One or PC?
Not on PS4 or Xbox One. GTA 6 is a PS5 and Xbox Series X|S game, and PlayStation's official GTA 6 page says it is not playable on PS4; see GTA 6 on PS4 and Xbox One. A PC version is not announced. GTA IV, GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 reached PC 7 to 19 months after their console launches.
Can I pre-load GTA 6?
Yes, from November 12, 2026. The physical edition is a download code in a box that becomes available to ship and pick up the same day, so physical buyers can pre-load too once they redeem it. On PlayStation, starting the download ends your right to cancel a digital pre-order for a refund.
What changed on this page
- Re-checked the PlayStation Store unlock times in six regions and the launch milestones on September 28: nothing has moved. Added when Amazon delivers the boxed copy, which decides when a box buyer can start the pre-load. The Coming up list now shows every dated item, including the last day for the pre-order bonus.
- Added a dated Coming up list, from the Game Informer issue on September 29 to launch day, that drops each date once it has passed. The milestones table below it now lists only the events that have no date yet.
- Re-checked the US, UK and Australian PlayStation Store unlock times and the launch milestones on September 26: nothing has moved. Added that there is no PS4 or Xbox One version, answers on cancellation and refunds, the "PEGI Provisional 18" store label, and Rockstar's Collector's Box, which ships from November 19.
- Added the PS5 unlock times listed on the PlayStation Store (the Microsoft Store data shows the same timestamps), Take-Two's February 3 reaffirmation of the date, and a status table for gone gold, the launch trailer and the rating, and split the online row: single-player at launch is official, multiplayer later is only reported. Added the pre-load start time, local midnight on November 12, from Rockstar Support.
