GTA 6 Launches Nov. 19 at Midnight Local Time, Pre-Loading Now Open

Grand Theft Auto 6 will launch on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026, at midnight local time in every region, on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, according to Eurogamer. Because the release follows local clocks, players in different countries will not start at the same moment.

Radio Times reported that the UK launch is at midnight GMT, while players in New Zealand and Australia will get in first. Players in the U.S. and Canada will wait almost a full day longer than those players, the outlet said. Eurogamer added that pre-loading is already available on both console families.

What it means for players in different time zones

A midnight-local release means there is no single global switch-on. Each region starts when its own calendar rolls over to Nov. 19. Radio Times noted that this puts New Zealand and Australia at the front of the line and North America at the back.

Eurogamer said players can begin the story with the two lead characters, Jason and Lucia, as soon as midnight arrives in their region. The outlet also noted that the timing lets people decide whether to play at launch or wait.

How pre-ordering and pre-loading work

Pre-loading is open now on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, according to Eurogamer, which said it has a separate page covering pre-load times and file size. Those details were not included in the launch-time report.

Radio Times said the game can be pre-ordered directly from the PlayStation and Xbox stores. Physical copies are also on sale, but the outlet said they are code-in-box releases that do not include a disc. It listed UK retailers Amazon and GAME, both at £69.99.

Why the date has moved before

Radio Times reported that the game was once on track for autumn 2025. Rockstar Games later announced a delay from a May 26, 2026, release date, saying in a social media post that the extra months would let it finish the game with the polish players expect. The studio apologized for lengthening the wait.

The outlet pointed out that most Grand Theft Auto games have been delayed at least once. It said Rockstar's previous release, Red Dead Redemption II, was pushed back three times.

What players have seen so far

According to Radio Times, the first trailer arrived on Dec. 4, 2023. It leaked several hours before its planned release, which forced Rockstar to publish it early. The 90-second clip showed the state of Leonida and the protagonist Lucia alongside a male partner whose identity was not revealed at the time.

A second trailer followed in May 2025 after nearly a year and a half without news. It focused more on the story and gave a first real look at Lucia and Jason and their life of crime, the outlet said. Radio Times said a later video, Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look, offered 26 minutes of footage covering gameplay, the map, combat and the characters' lives.

What happens next

The next fixed date is launch day itself, Nov. 19, when the game goes live region by region at midnight local time. Radio Times said reviews will follow, and the outlet is watching to see how they compare with other top-rated games this year.

Around Prague, based on reporting by Eurogamer.net, Radio Times

Cover photo: Discott / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped

Share: Telegram WhatsApp