GTA 6 launch-day checklist: 10 things to do before 19 Nov

Confirmed GTA 6 unlocks at midnight local time on 19 November 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S (Rockstar Support). Work through this list and you’ll be playing the minute it unlocks.

The checklist

1. Confirmed Free up at least 212 GB, plus a bit extra for patches (Rockstar Support). See how many GB GTA 6 is.
2. Confirmed Start the pre-load. Digital pre-load opened on 10 November (Rockstar Support). Our pre-load guide has the steps.
3. Confirmed Turn on auto-downloads (PS5) or automatic updates (Xbox) and leave the console in Rest Mode or Sleep, so any launch patch installs by itself (Rockstar Support).
4. Confirmed Boxed copy? It’s a code, not a disc. Redeem it the day it arrives, from 12 November, and start downloading (Rockstar Support).
5. Confirmed Check your code’s region. PlayStation codes must match your account’s country. Xbox codes work anywhere (Rockstar Support).
6. Confirmed Buy before 20 November to get the Vintage Vice City Pack and, on digital, a month of GTA+ (Rockstar Support).
7. Confirmed Decide on Ultimate. You can upgrade from Standard any time, so there’s no rush (Rockstar Support). Compare them in editions and price.
8. Work out your unlock time. It’s midnight where your console thinks you are. Use the unlock-time tool.
9. Mute spoilers. Players in New Zealand and Australia start many hours before the UK and US. Mute “GTA 6”, “Jason” and “Lucia” on social apps for a few days if you want to go in fresh.
10. Confirmed Charge your DualSense. The PS5 version uses haptics and adaptive triggers, so a full battery matters for a long first session (PlayStation Store).

On the night

• Sign in to the account that bought the game before midnight.
• If it says it’s still locked after midnight, restart the console and check its date, time and time zone settings.
• Servers are busy at launch. The story is single-player and playable offline, so you shouldn’t need to wait for anything online to start.