Grand Theft Auto 6 Pre-Load Date Moves Up to November 10

Rockstar Games has brought the Grand Theft Auto VI pre-load date forward by two days, giving players who pre-ordered the digital version more time to download the game before it launches. Digital pre-loading now opens on Tuesday, November 10, nine days before the game arrives on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar confirmed the change in a post on its Newswire on November 3, which also gave the first official figure for the size of the download.

Start times differ by console, according to Rockstar. On PlayStation 5, the download opens at midnight local time in each player's own time zone, so players in New Zealand will be among the first to get it. On Xbox Series X|S, pre-loading begins at a single moment worldwide, midnight GMT, which works out to 7 p.m. Eastern and 4 p.m. Pacific on Monday evening in North America. The game itself stays locked until launch day, whenever the files finish downloading.

The size of the download

The company said the pre-load will require up to 212 GB depending on your device. At that size, players with a console that is already close to full will need to clear space or move games to external storage before the download opens. Rockstar has not published separate figures for each console, and the final install size could still differ slightly from the pre-load file once a launch-day update is factored in.

What changed from the original plan

Rockstar's pre-order announcement in June had pointed to a later start, with digital buyers told they could begin downloading from November 12. The new date pulls that forward and gives players a longer runway before launch. Code-in-box versions, which carry a download code instead of a disc, should reach retailers from the same day. Store data had previously suggested a slightly smaller file, with a PlayStation Store tracking account putting the PS5 download at 210 GB, but Rockstar's figure is the official one to plan around.

Rockstar also used the announcement to confirm a small extra for launch day. On November 19, the company will add a printable poster of the game's cover art and a map of Leonida, the fictional state where the story is set, as a free digital download on the official site. The announcement covers only PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar has still not confirmed a PC version or a date for a PC release, and players on that platform will have to wait for a separate announcement.

Why the extra days matter

Demand for the game is running high. Research firm Circana reported that 29 percent of console and PC gamers in the United States plan to buy Grand Theft Auto VI, the highest purchase intent it has recorded for any video game. A download of this size takes hours on many home connections, which is why the longer window matters. Pre-loading does not let anyone play early. The game stays locked until it unlocks at midnight local time in each region on launch day.

Players who pre-ordered digitally do not need to do anything special beyond making room. On PlayStation 5, automatic downloads need to be turned on and the console left on or in rest mode, according to Rockstar's support page. On Xbox Series X|S, automatic updates need to be turned on and the console left on or in sleep mode. Players should also be wary of offers of early access. CBS News Miami reported in October that social media ads offering early downloads were a scam that installs malware, and the only genuine early download is the pre-load for digital pre-orders.

For players still deciding, pre-orders remain open on the PlayStation Store and the Microsoft Store, and Rockstar said on X that there is still time to pre-order before the download opens. Video Games Chronicle reported the same timings and file size, and Gadgets360 also covered the announcement, noting that earlier store listings had pointed to a later start.

More gaming coverage, including the latest on the run-up to launch, is available on genznewz.com.