GTA 6 Opens Preloads Nine Days Before Launch, Needing Up to 212GB
Rockstar has opened digital preloads of Grand Theft Auto VI on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S ahead of its Nov. 19 launch. The download needs up to 212GB.
Console players can now start downloading Grand Theft Auto VI, the most anticipated video game in years, ahead of its Nov. 19 release. Rockstar Games, the studio behind the series, opened digital preloads on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S this week and warned that the game takes up to 212GB of storage, a file size that will fill a large share of many consoles’ drives.
Preloading lets buyers download the game’s files early so they can start playing as soon as it unlocks. The game files stay locked until launch day.
What happened
Rockstar announced the preload schedule on Nov. 3, and the timing varies by platform. According to MP1st, a gaming news site that published the studio’s timetable, Xbox Series X|S preloads opened at the same moment worldwide: midnight GMT on Nov. 10, which was 7 p.m. Eastern and 4 p.m. Pacific on Nov. 9 in the United States. On PlayStation 5, preloading starts at midnight local time on Nov. 10 in each region, so it rolls out across the world time zone by time zone.
Notebookcheck, a technology review site, reported that the digital preload date was moved up two days from Nov. 12. That earlier date still applies to physical editions. MP1st and Notebookcheck both reported that boxed copies reaching stores on Nov. 12 contain download codes rather than the full game on disc. Engadget reported that buyers of those editions can use the code to preload once they have it.
Buyers have to pre-order before they can preload. Engadget listed prices of $80 for the Standard Edition and $100 for the Ultimate Edition, sold through the PlayStation and Xbox digital stores and retailers such as Amazon and Walmart.
Why the file size matters
Rockstar said the download needs “up to” 212GB and that the exact amount depends on the device. MP1st described it as the largest base-game download for a current-generation console title. Before Rockstar confirmed the number, a widely followed account that tracks PlayStation download sizes had put the PS5 version at about 210GB, Notebookcheck noted.
The size is a particular problem for owners of the cheaper Xbox Series S. Engadget said the 512GB model has only about 362GB of usable space, so the game alone would take up more than half of it. Even players with larger drives may have to delete other games. Engadget also cautioned that a day-one patch could add to the storage needed.
Depending on a player’s internet connection, the download itself could take hours, Engadget said, which is part of why Rockstar is offering more than a week of preloading.
To preload, players can:
- On Xbox, find the game in the Microsoft Store and choose install, or turn on automatic updates for games and apps in the system settings.
- On PS5, use the preload option on the game’s PlayStation Store page, or turn on auto-download for the pre-order in the game library.
Background
Grand Theft Auto VI is Rockstar’s first new entry in its best-selling crime series since Grand Theft Auto V in 2013. It has slipped more than once: Rockstar first aimed for late 2025, then moved the release to May 2026, and later pushed it again to Nov. 19, 2026.
The game matters a great deal to Take-Two Interactive, the New York-based publisher that owns Rockstar. In May, Take-Two forecast net bookings, an industry measure of sales, of $8 billion to $8.2 billion for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2027, GamesBeat reported. That would be about 20% growth over the previous year, driven mainly by GTA VI. Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two’s chief executive, kept the November date in place at the time.
Demand appears strong. Engadget, citing Polygon, said the game had reportedly sold about 8 million copies before release. Take-Two has not confirmed that figure.
What comes next
The game launches on Nov. 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only. Rockstar has not announced a PC version. MP1st said a PC release is rumored for early 2027, but the company has not confirmed any date.
Until launch, the main concern for many players is simply freeing up enough space. Physical editions with download codes arrive at retailers on Nov. 12, a week before the game unlocks.
