GTA VI · November 19, 2026
Your Launch Kit
Three quick taps. Get your exact unlock time, a live countdown and a launch checklist built for your setup.
Where will you play?1 / 3
Your country’s exact window isn’t listed yet, so we’ll show the full worldwide unlock window converted to your local time.
Which console?2 / 3
Have you pre-ordered yet?3 / 3
My GTA 6 Launch Card
Unlocks
Your launch checklist0 / 0
⚠️ One item on your list still has no official answer.
How much space GTA 6 will really need →Unlock times come from regional PlayStation Store listings. Rockstar has not published an official timetable, and Xbox times have not been listed yet. GameCodeXL is an independent site and is not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.
Why GTA 6 doesn’t unlock at the same time everywhere
GTA VI launches on Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. But it isn’t one worldwide moment. PlayStation Store listings show 15 separate unlock windows across 63 countries, spread over roughly 19 hours.
New Zealand goes first, at 11:00 UTC on November 18. Mexico and Central America close the rollout about 19 hours later. Everyone else falls somewhere in between, which is why a countdown built for someone else is probably wrong for you.
The time zone quirk that catches people out
The store timestamp is national, not local. In the United States, the window is tied to Eastern Time. New York gets a true midnight launch, but Los Angeles unlocks at 9:00 PM on November 18, three hours before its own midnight.
The kit above does that math for you. Pick your city and it converts your country’s window into your local time, including daylight saving.
| Region | Unlock (UTC) | Local time |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 11:00, Nov 18 | Midnight, Nov 19 |
| United Kingdom | 05:00, Nov 19 | 5:00 AM, Nov 19 |
| US East Coast | 05:00, Nov 19 | Midnight, Nov 19 |
| US Pacific | 05:00, Nov 19 | 9:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| Mexico | 06:00, Nov 19 | Midnight, Nov 19 (last window) |
Playing from somewhere else? Choose “Somewhere else” in the kit and it converts the full worldwide window, from New Zealand to Mexico, into your local time. Canada, Ireland and Australia are marked as estimates until their store listings appear. Rockstar has not published an official timetable, and listings can still change before launch.
Preload: what to do before November 12
Preloading opens at local midnight on November 12, one week before release. Preload is not early access. The files download early and stay locked until your window opens.
Rockstar still hasn’t confirmed the install size. Clearing 200 GB covers every current estimate. On a 512 GB Xbox Series S, that’s more than half of the usable space.
Boxed copies don’t include a disc. They contain a download code and go on sale November 12, so physical buyers preload on the same schedule as everyone else.
Launch kit FAQ
Is this the official GTA 6 release time?
It’s based on regional PlayStation Store listings. Rockstar hasn’t published its own timetable. Xbox times haven’t been listed yet, though the same pattern is expected.
Do you store my answers?
Only on your own device, so your checklist is still there when you come back. Nothing you pick is sent to us.
Can I play early by changing my console region?
We don’t recommend it. Switching store regions can cause problems with payment methods and account access, and Rockstar hasn’t endorsed it.
The one number Rockstar still hasn’t given
How big GTA 6 will be, how much space each console really has, and why a Series S owner should plan now.
See the storage breakdown →