Everything happening between pre-load and launch, in order. Each date is labeled: OFFICIAL means Rockstar, Take-Two or a platform holder said it; REPORTED means a named outlet reported it and nobody official has confirmed it. We'll update this page as the week unfolds.
The Schedule
| Date | What happens | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Nov 9 | Take-Two reports Q2 FY2027 results. It reiterates $8.0–8.2B full-year net bookings guidance, calls pre-orders "unprecedented", and CEO Strauss Zelnick says Rockstar has completed development. | OFFICIAL (development remark reported from the call) |
| Mon, Nov 9 – Sat, Nov 28 | A GTA 6 pop-up at Selfridges in London and Manchester: 60-plus pieces of merchandise and a real Vice City-painted Grotti Cheetah built by West Coast Customs, per VGC. See our merch guide. | REPORTED |
| Mon, Nov 9, 7 PM ET | Xbox Series X|S pre-load opens worldwide (12:00 AM GMT, Nov 10). | OFFICIAL |
| Tue, Nov 10 | PS5 pre-load opens at midnight local time in each region. Install is up to 212 GB. | OFFICIAL |
| Thu, Nov 12 | Code-in-box physical editions reach stores. The box holds a download code, not a disc. | OFFICIAL |
| Wed, Nov 18 | Review embargo reported to lift. Some outlets are reportedly restricted until launch day. | REPORTED |
| Wed, Nov 18, 6 AM ET | Midnight, November 19 in New Zealand: the first region to unlock. | OFFICIAL |
| Wed, Nov 18, 7 PM ET | The Miami Heat host the Milwaukee Bucks for "A Night in Vice City" at the Kaseya Center, in Vice City uniforms made with Rockstar, Nike and Travis Scott. See GTA 6's Miami campaign. | OFFICIAL |
| Thu, Nov 19, midnight local | GTA 6 unlocks region by region on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, per Rockstar's support article. | OFFICIAL |
| Thu, Nov 19, 1 AM ET | Xbox Cloud Gaming opens for GTA 6, including on Xbox One, using Series S graphics settings. You still have to own the game, per Xbox Wire. | OFFICIAL |
| Thu, Nov 19 | Rockstar adds a free printable cover-art poster and map of Leonida to its website. A printed double-sided version follows “shortly after launch” from the Rockstar Store ($0.99, or free with any order), per Rockstar's November 3 post as quoted by GamesRadar+. | OFFICIAL |
| Thu, Nov 19 | Sony's two limited-edition GTA 6 DualSense controllers (white and black, $84.99 each) launch, per the PlayStation Blog. See editions and add-ons. | OFFICIAL |
| Thu, Nov 19 | Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album (34 original tracks, Atlantic Records) releases on streaming, CD and vinyl. | OFFICIAL |
| Fri, Nov 20 | The Vintage Vice City Pack offer ends. Rockstar's terms give it to pre-orders and purchases made before November 20, on either edition. See the pack and its deadline. | OFFICIAL |
| Sat, Nov 21 | "Grand Theft Auto VI: The Festival" at Mana Wynwood in Miami, presented by Rockstar and PlayStation: Travis Scott, Cardi B, Metro Boomin, a Justice DJ set and more. Tickets were sold by lottery. See GTA 6's Miami campaign. | OFFICIAL |
| Fri, Dec 11 | Grand Theft Auto VI: Original Score, Justice's in-game music, releases on streaming, double CD and triple vinyl (Rockstar Newswire). | OFFICIAL |
Your exact local times are in the Unlock Time Finder.
What to Do Before Launch
- Start the pre-load and confirm it finished. See our pre-load guide.
- Check your storage with Will It Fit? and aim for about 230 GB free: a German PS5 box lists that figure (why it differs from 212 GB), and it leaves headroom for a day-one patch (none announced yet, but most big launches have one).
- Turn on automatic updates and rest mode (PS5) or sleep mode (Xbox), so patches install overnight.
- Bought a boxed copy? Redeem the code as soon as you have it so the download can start. Here's how the code-in-box edition works.
- Set up spoiler filters before New Zealand starts playing on the morning of November 18 (US time). See the spoiler guide.
What Isn't Happening at Launch
- No online mode. GTA 6 launches as a single-player game. What Rockstar has said.
- No PC version. Nothing announced. What's actually known.
- No 60 fps mode announced. Rockstar says it's "targeting 30 frames per second" (Newswire, Nov 10). 30 FPS explained.
- No "Trailer 3". It never existed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do GTA 6 reviews come out?
Reviews are reported to go live on November 18, 2026, the day before launch, with some outlets reportedly held until launch day. Rockstar hasn't confirmed this.
When does GTA 6 unlock?
At midnight local time on November 19, 2026, in every region, per Rockstar's support article. New Zealand is first, at 6 AM ET on November 18.
When can I buy the physical copy of GTA 6?
Code-in-box physical editions reach stores on November 12, 2026. The box contains a download code, not a disc.
Sources
- Rockstar Newswire: Pre-Load Begins on November 10
- Take-Two Q2 FY2027 earnings release (SEC 8-K)
- Beebom: Zelnick says development is complete
- Insider Gaming: GTA 6 review embargo
- Rockstar Support: regional pre-load and release times
- Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI: The Festival
- Xbox Wire: GTA VI comes to Xbox Cloud Gaming on November 19
- Notebookcheck: Miami Heat event one day before launch
- Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album
HOW WE SOURCED THIS
Pre-load, install size, the November 12 physical date, the album and the release date are official. The midnight-local unlock is from Rockstar's support article, the Heat game was announced by the Miami Heat, and the cloud start time is from Microsoft. The review embargo is reported by the outlets linked and will be confirmed or corrected here as it happens.
G6
Drew Giordano · GTA6Gang Editorial Team
We separate what Rockstar has confirmed from what has only been reported, and link every source. How we verify →