GTA 6 release date and time: when can you play in the US, UK and worldwide?

GTA 6 launches on Thursday, November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. That is the official date Rockstar announced in November 2025, and Take-Two has confirmed it again in every earnings report since.

What time does GTA 6 unlock?

Rockstar has not published an official unlock schedule by country. Specialist outlets report that the game should unlock at midnight local time in each region, as most console launches do. If that is the case, New Zealand will be the first country to play.

Not confirmed: the exact unlock time. If Rockstar goes with local midnight, players in New York, Los Angeles and London will all start at 12:00 a.m. on November 19 in their own time zone. We will update this section as soon as there is an official schedule.

Pre-loading started on November 10

Nine days before launch, on November 10, pre-loading opened for digital copies, as Rockstar confirmed. Boxed copies arrive in stores from November 12 and include a download code that you can redeem to pre-load. Pre-loading does not let you play early: the files stay locked on your console until the 19th.

Tip: pre-load as soon as you can. Download servers will be overloaded on launch day. See our pre-load and file size guide.

How GTA 6 was delayed

Planned date	What happened
2025	Original window, announced with Trailer 1 (December 2023)
May 26, 2026	First delay, announced in May 2025
November 19, 2026	Second delay, announced in November 2025

Since then, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has ruled out further delays several times. On November 9 he confirmed the game is finished. Read what Take-Two said.

Could it slip again?

With nine days to go, pre-orders open since June, pre-loading under way and the radio stations already revealed, another delay looks extremely unlikely. November 19 is the final date.

To get ready, check price and editions and the full launch calendar.