A GTA 6 countdown timer to the release on November 19, 2026, 12:00 AM ET (05:00 UTC), based on PlayStation Store data. Plus a second countdown to the PS5 pre-load on November 10.
GTA 6 key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| November 9, 2026 | Take-Two reports its fiscal 2027 second-quarter results, the last big financial event before launch |
| November 10, 2026 | Pre-loading opens for digital pre-orders: on PS5 at 12:00 AM local time, on Xbox Series X|S at 00:00 GMT for all regions (7:00 PM ET on November 9) |
| November 12, 2026 | The boxed Standard Edition with a download code goes on sale; the code also opens pre-loading |
| November 19, 2026 | GTA 6 launches; the same day "Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album" comes out and the one-month GTA+ offer for digital purchases ends |
| November 19, 2026 | A free GTA VI cover poster and a printable map of Leonida go up for download on Rockstar's official site; a double-sided physical poster follows on the Rockstar Store shortly after launch, $0.99 or free with any order |
| November 20, 2026 | The Vintage Vice City Pack bonus ends; purchases made by November 20, digital or physical, get it |
| December 11, 2026 | "Grand Theft Auto VI: Original Score" by the duo Justice is released |
Add to Google Calendar — GTA 6 launch, November 19
Add to Google Calendar — pre-loading, November 10
What time exactly GTA 6 comes out
The timer counts down to November 19, 2026, 12:00 AM Eastern Time (05:00 UTC). That is when the game unlocks across the US: PlayStation Store uses midnight ET for the whole country, so on the West Coast it is 9:00 PM PT on November 18. Rockstar Games has not officially announced an hour; we rely on PlayStation Store data, where the game opens at midnight local time in each region. If Rockstar names a different time, we will update the timer.
In the UK the game unlocks five hours earlier, at 12:00 AM GMT on November 19 (00:00 UTC), so for UK players the timer above ends five hours late. Pre-loading starts on November 10: on PS5 at midnight local time (12:00 AM ET in the US, 12:00 AM GMT in the UK), on Xbox Series X|S at 00:00 GMT for everyone, which is 7:00 PM ET on November 9. The second timer counts down to the PS5 start in ET.
What to do before launch is in our GTA 6 launch prep checklist.
GTA 6 countdown: frequently asked questions
What time does GTA 6 come out in the US and UK?
According to PlayStation Store, on November 19, 2026, at 12:00 AM ET in the US (9:00 PM PT on November 18) and at 12:00 AM GMT in the UK. Rockstar has not announced an hour, so the time may change.
Why does the timer count to 12:00 AM ET and not to UTC?
PlayStation Store unlocks the game at midnight local time in each region, and in the US it uses Eastern Time for the whole country. That is 05:00 UTC on November 19. In the UK midnight GMT equals 00:00 UTC, so UK players get in five hours before the timer ends.
When does GTA 6 pre-loading start?
On November 10, 2026: on PS5 at midnight local time, on Xbox Series X|S at 00:00 GMT for all regions (7:00 PM ET on November 9). It is for digital pre-orders; boxed copies with a code go on sale on November 12. The second timer above counts down to the PS5 start in ET.
How many days are left until GTA 6 comes out?
The timer at the top counts the days, hours and minutes to November 19, 12:00 AM ET, and updates every second. As of November 1, 2026, there were 18 days to go.
Can I play before November 19 if I pre-load the game?
No. Pre-loading from November 10 only copies the files to your console; you can start the game once it launches.
Until when does the pre-order bonus run?
All purchases made by November 20, 2026, get the Vintage Vice City Pack, and digital purchases made by November 19 get a month of GTA+. Details are on our GTA 6 price and editions page.
Sources
- Official: Rockstar Games, Rockstar Newswire, Rockstar Support, Take-Two Interactive
- Databases and guides: GTABase, GTA Wiki, GTA BOOM, PowerPyx
- Press: GamesRadar, PC Gamer, IGN, VGC, Game Informer
Every fact is checked against official sources or at least two independent ones; player-sourced data is labelled in the text. Images are official Rockstar Games material. GTA Top is not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.