Skip to content
GTA 6
All gamesRecent news
Language en

GTA 6 newsSep 30, 20264 min read

GTA 6 release time by country: when it unlocks on PS5 and Xbox

GTA 6 unlocks at midnight local time on November 19, per the PS5 and Xbox store listings: 11:00 UTC Nov 18 in New Zealand, midnight ET in the US. All countries.

Endgame Tools

Editorial team · Published

Lucia and Jason, faces half-hidden by bandanas, walking away from a gas station at dusk
Rockstar Games · Press kit
In this article
  1. 01GTA 6 release time by country
  2. 02Same times on Xbox Series X|S
  3. 03Pre-load and download size
  4. 04Can you play GTA 6 earlier?
  5. 05The countdown on our hub

Grand Theft Auto VI comes out on Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, but not at the same moment everywhere. Rockstar has not announced an unlock time, yet the game's listings on the PlayStation Store and the Xbox store each give one, country by country: midnight local time, as Wednesday the 18th turns into Thursday the 19th. Prices and editions are in our release date guide; this page is about the hour, as the listings stood on September 30.

GTA 6 release time by country

Each store lists one moment per country: midnight in the capital's time zone. Where a country has several time zones, the game unlocks before or after midnight in the others.

Country Local unlock time UTC Platforms
New Zealand Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 18, 11:00 PS5, Xbox
Australia Nov 19, 00:00 (Sydney, Melbourne); Nov 18, 21:00 (Perth) Nov 18, 13:00 PS5, Xbox
Japan Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 18, 15:00 PS5, Xbox
Germany Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 18, 23:00 PS5, Xbox
France Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 18, 23:00 PS5, Xbox
Spain Nov 19, 00:00; Nov 18, 23:00 (Canary Islands) Nov 18, 23:00 PS5, Xbox
United Kingdom Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 19, 00:00 PS5, Xbox
Portugal Nov 19, 00:00; Nov 18, 23:00 (Azores) Nov 19, 00:00 PS5, Xbox
Brazil Nov 19, 00:00 (Brasília); Nov 18, 23:00 (Manaus) Nov 19, 03:00 PS5, Xbox
Argentina Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 19, 03:00 PS5, Xbox
Chile Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 19, 03:00 PS5, Xbox
Colombia Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 19, 05:00 PS5, Xbox
Peru Nov 19, 00:00 Nov 19, 05:00 PS5
United States Nov 19, 00:00 ET; Nov 18, 23:00 CT, 22:00 MT, 21:00 PT Nov 19, 05:00 PS5, Xbox
Canada Nov 19, 00:00 (Toronto, Montreal); Nov 18, 21:00 (Vancouver) Nov 19, 05:00 PS5, Xbox
Mexico Nov 19, 00:00 (Mexico City), 01:00 (Cancún); Nov 18, 22:00 (Tijuana) Nov 19, 06:00 PS5, Xbox

Of these stores, New Zealand's unlocks first and Mexico's last, 19 hours later. The pages only print the date: the hour is the release time recorded in each listing, not a Rockstar announcement, and it can still change before launch. We will update the table if it does.

Same times on Xbox Series X|S

The Xbox store's listings carry the same release times as the PlayStation Store's in every country of the table but one: on September 30, the Xbox store had no page for the game in Peru, so the Peruvian time above is the PlayStation Store's. On the listings, at least, Xbox follows the same local-midnight rule rather than a single worldwide hour. Neither Microsoft nor Rockstar has confirmed it in an announcement, although Rockstar opened pre-orders the same way, "at midnight local time" on June 25.

Pre-load and download size

Rockstar says digital pre-orders can begin pre-loading on November 12, a week before launch, so that the game is ready the moment it unlocks, and the PlayStation Store lists a "7-Day Pre-load" with both editions. No start time has been given for it. The boxed version, on sale from November 12, holds a download code rather than a disc: physical buyers can pre-load too, but they download the whole game.

Rockstar has not given the download size. The only figure on a store, an approximate size of about 329 MB on the Xbox listing, is not an announcement. We will add the size here as soon as it is published; until then, free up storage on your console before November 12.

Can you play GTA 6 earlier?

New Zealand's copies unlock first. At 11:00 UTC on November 18, it is 12:00 in Paris and Madrid, 11:00 in London, 08:00 in Brasília, 06:00 in New York and Bogotá, 05:00 in Mexico City and 03:00 in Los Angeles, all still on the 18th: a head start of 2 hours over Australia's store and up to 19 hours over Mexico's. Hence the idea of playing early on a New Zealand account. According to Sony and Microsoft, here is what it involves:

  • An account registered in New Zealand. A copy unlocks at the time of the store it was bought on; a pre-order on your usual account opens at your country's time, not before.
  • A second copy, bought on that account: NZ$139.95, or NZ$174.95 for the Ultimate Edition.
  • PlayStation's rules. Sony asks for your correct country or region when you create an account and says it cannot be changed afterwards. A card registered in another country may not link, and PlayStation Store vouchers only work in their own region.
  • Xbox's rules. Microsoft says to change an account's region only if you have moved, warns of "region block" errors when the account's region and your location differ, and requires a billing address and payment method that match. The money in your account does not follow a region change.

A few hours' head start therefore takes an extra account, which both companies expect to match the country you live in, and a second copy of the game. Pre-loading on your own account and waiting for your store's midnight is the simpler route.

The countdown on our hub

Our GTA 6 hub counts down the days to November 19; for the hour on your own console, go by the table above. If Rockstar announces an official unlock time, it will show up on our Newswire tracker.

TagsGTA 6 release timeunlock timetime zonespre-loaddownload sizeNew ZealandPS5Xbox Series X|S

Frequently asked questions

What time does GTA 6 come out in the US?

GTA 6's US listings on the PlayStation Store and the Xbox store give Thursday, November 19, 2026 at midnight Eastern Time (05:00 UTC). That one moment covers the whole country, so it is 11 pm Central, 10 pm Mountain and 9 pm Pacific on Wednesday, November 18. Rockstar has not announced an unlock time itself.

What time does GTA 6 come out in the UK and Europe?

According to the PlayStation Store and Xbox store listings, GTA 6 unlocks at midnight local time on Thursday, November 19, 2026: 00:00 in the UK and Portugal (00:00 UTC), and 00:00 in France, Spain and Germany, which is 23:00 UTC on Wednesday, November 18.

Does GTA 6 unlock at the same time on Xbox and PS5?

On the store listings, yes: as of September 30, 2026, the Xbox store gives the same times as the PlayStation Store, country by country, at midnight local time on November 19. Neither Microsoft nor Rockstar has confirmed it in an announcement, and the Xbox store had no page for the game in Peru.

Can you play GTA 6 early with a New Zealand account?

New Zealand's store unlocks first, at 11:00 UTC on November 18, according to its listings. Playing then takes an account registered in New Zealand and a second copy bought on it (NZ$139.95 for the standard edition). Sony says an account's country cannot be changed once it is created, and Microsoft says to change an account's region only if you have moved. A pre-order on your own account unlocks at your own country's time.

When can you pre-load GTA 6?

Rockstar says digital pre-orders of GTA 6 can begin pre-loading on November 12, 2026, a week before the November 19 launch, and the PlayStation Store lists a 7-day pre-load. No start time has been given. The boxed version, on sale from November 12, contains a download code rather than a disc, so it can be pre-loaded too.

How big is GTA 6?

Rockstar had not given the download size of GTA 6 as of September 30, 2026. The only figure on a store, an approximate size of about 329 MB on the Xbox listing, is not an announcement. Pre-loading opens on November 12, so it is worth freeing up space on your PS5 or Xbox Series X|S before then.

Sources

  1. Rockstar Newswire — Pre-Order Grand Theft Auto VI on June 25
  2. Rockstar Newswire — Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Set to Launch November 19, 2026
  3. PlayStation Store (New Zealand) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  4. PlayStation Store (Australia) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  5. PlayStation Store (Japan) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  6. PlayStation Store (Germany) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  7. PlayStation Store (France) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  8. PlayStation Store (Spain) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  9. PlayStation Store (United Kingdom) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  10. PlayStation Store (Portugal) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  11. PlayStation Store (Brazil) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  12. PlayStation Store (Argentina) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  13. PlayStation Store (Chile) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  14. PlayStation Store (Colombia) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  15. PlayStation Store (Peru) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  16. PlayStation Store (United States) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  17. PlayStation Store (Canada) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  18. PlayStation Store (Mexico) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  19. Xbox Store (New Zealand) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  20. Xbox Store (Australia) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  21. Xbox Store (Japan) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  22. Xbox Store (Germany) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  23. Xbox Store (France) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  24. Xbox Store (Spain) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  25. Xbox Store (United Kingdom) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  26. Xbox Store (Portugal) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  27. Xbox Store (Brazil) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  28. Xbox Store (Argentina) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  29. Xbox Store (Chile) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  30. Xbox Store (Colombia) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  31. Xbox Store (United States) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  32. Xbox Store (Canada) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  33. Xbox Store (Mexico) — Grand Theft Auto VI
  34. Xbox Store (Peru) — Grand Theft Auto VI: no page for the game on September 30, 2026
  35. PlayStation Support — How to create an account on PlayStation
  36. PlayStation Support — Problems using voucher codes on PlayStation Store
  37. PlayStation Support — Problems adding credit or debit card information to PlayStation Store
  38. Xbox Support — Update your Microsoft account if you’re moving to a new country or region
  39. Xbox Support — Moving to a new region

  1. GTA 6 Game Informer cover story: weather, wildlife and Leonida

    Game Informer's GTA 6 cover story comes out September 29: weather, wildlife and Rockstar's Florida research. What is announced, and what Rockstar has said.

    Sep 28, 20264 min read

  2. GTA 6 gameplay: Criminal Profile, relationships and police

    How GTA 6's Criminal Profile, Jason and Lucia's relationship, police, car theft and hairdressers work, from the demos Rockstar showed IGN and Trois Couleurs.

    Sep 28, 20264 min read

  3. GTA 6 map: Leonida's six regions and what Rockstar has shown

    GTA 6 is set in Leonida, Rockstar's Florida. Its six official regions, from Vice City to Mount Kalaga, what Rockstar says of each and what is still unknown.

    Sep 27, 20264 min read