Rockstar moves GTA 6 pre-load up to 10 November, and it needs up to 212 GB

GTA 6 pre-load starts on Tuesday 10 November: on PS5 at midnight local time, and on Xbox Series X|S at 12:00am GMT, which is midnight in the UK and 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) on Monday 9 November in the US. Rockstar confirmed it on its Newswire, two days earlier than the pre-order listings said, along with an official file size: up to 212 GB depending on the console. Here's when it starts where you are, how much space it leaves on each console, how long it takes to download and what happens if you buy a boxed copy.

What time does GTA 6 pre-load start?

It depends on your console, because Rockstar has gone with two different systems:

• PS5: at 12:00am on 10 November in your own local time. So midnight in London, midnight in New York and midnight in Los Angeles, each in turn. As VGC points out, players in New Zealand will be first off the mark.
• Xbox Series X|S: at the same moment worldwide, 12:00am GMT on 10 November. In the UK, which is on GMT in November, that's midnight on the dot.

We did the maths for the US, because that's where the Xbox timing pays off: 12:00am GMT lands on the afternoon or evening of Monday 9 November. That's 7:00pm ET, 6:00pm CT and 4:00pm PT. An American Xbox player can start downloading around five hours before a PS5 player on the East Coast, and eight hours before one in California.

Pre-loading is only available if you've pre-ordered the game digitally. The PlayStation Blog says the same, and asks players to free up 212 GB on their console.

Rockstar Games@RockstarGames

Grand Theft Auto VI pre-load begins on November 10. There’s still time to pre-order and ensure you're able to experience Grand Theft Auto VI when it launches on November 19. Details: rsg.ms/a647560

Wasn't it 12 November?

That's what everyone was saying, us included. The 12 November date came from pre-order listings and the PlayStation Store database: when the PlayStation Game Size account revealed the game would need 210 GB on PS5, its screenshot also showed pre-load on the 12th. GamesRadar notes that pre-order confirmations said the same.

Rockstar has brought it forward by two days for digital copies. The 12th stays for physical ones, as you'll see below. And the size goes up slightly: 212 GB "depending on the device", compared with the 210 GB we knew about for PS5. Rockstar hasn't broken down how much it takes up on each console.

Will GTA 6 fit on my console?

It will, but on some it's tight. The problem isn't the capacity on the box, it's what's left free once the system software has taken its share:

The usable-space figures come from GameSpot, which measured them on its review consoles. The Series S is the trickiest case: with GTA 6 installed, you're left with around 150 GB for everything else, which is room for one or two more big games and not much else. The 1 TB and 2 TB PS5 and Series X models have far more breathing room.

If you're short on space, you've got a week to decide: delete what you're not playing any more (you can always download it again) or add an M.2 SSD to your PS5 or an expansion card to your Xbox.

How long will 212 GB take to download?

Longer than you'd think. We crunched the numbers using each connection's theoretical speed, without accounting for server congestion on opening night, which, with more than 6 million digital pre-orders, there will be:

Over Wi-Fi and at peak times, expect a lot longer. With nine days between 10 and 19 November, there's no reason to leave it until the night before.

What if I buy GTA 6 on disc?

The physical version doesn't come with a disc: it's a code in a box to download the game. According to Rockstar, those boxes should be in shops from 12 November, so anyone buying at retail can pre-load from that day, two days after digital pre-orders. It's the same 212 GB.

What else did Rockstar announce?

A small launch-day freebie. On 19 November, the official website will add a poster with the game's cover art and a map of Leonida, as a free download you can print. Shortly after, a double-sided physical version will go on sale at the Rockstar Store for $0.99, or free with any Rockstar Store purchase. Rockstar hasn't said whether the UK and European store will stock it or at what price.