GTA 6 pre-load starts November 10 and needs up to 212 GB

GTA 6 digital pre-loading begins on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Rockstar Games said on November 3, two days earlier than the November 12 date it had given before. On PlayStation 5 it starts at midnight local time in your own time zone, which reaches New Zealand at 11:00 UTC on November 9. On Xbox Series X and S it starts at one moment worldwide: 12 a.m. GMT on November 10, which is 7 p.m. Eastern and 4 p.m. Pacific on November 9.

This is also the first size Rockstar has given for the game. Its support page says the pre-load "will require up to 212 GB of available space depending on your device", without breaking that down by console. The 512 GB Xbox Series S has the least room to spare, and system software makes the usable space on any console lower than the number on the box, so check your storage now.

Code-in-box copies come later. Rockstar says code-in-box versions for both consoles should be available from retailers beginning November 12.

To have the download start by itself, Rockstar says a PS5 needs auto-downloads turned on and the console on or in Rest Mode, and an Xbox needs automatic updates turned on and the console on or in Sleep mode. The pre-load guide has the steps for both.

That automatic start matters if you are still deciding. Sony’s US policy ends a digital pre-order’s refund once the download starts, pre-load included, so a PS5 with auto-downloads on can close that door at midnight on November 10. Xbox lets you cancel a pre-order up to 10 days before launch, about November 9, the day before its pre-load opens. The pre-order page has both stores’ rules.

The PlayStation Store listing now names a "9-Day Pre-load" among the features of both editions, which fits a November 10 start for the November 19 release.

Rockstar also said that on November 19 it will add a free printable cover art poster and map of Leonida to its official site. A double-sided physical version will follow shortly after launch on the Rockstar Store, for $0.99 on its own or free with any Rockstar Store purchase.