GTA VI preloading starts today: the 212 GB download, the November 19 launch, what $79.99 and $99.99 get you, and what Rockstar still hasn't said

The date and the platforms

GTA VI comes out Thursday, November 19, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar moved it there a year ago, its second delay after a 2025 window and then May 26, 2026, and it repeated the date when it announced preloading on November 3. Nothing since suggests another delay. (Rockstar, VGC)

• No PC version is announced. GamesBeat reported, citing anonymous sources, that one is planned for early 2027. Rockstar hasn't confirmed it. (Insider Gaming)
• No Switch 2 version.
• PS5 Pro: PlayStation lists it as "PS5 Pro Enhanced" without saying what that means. The game appears to run at 30 frames per second on the regular consoles, based on Digital Foundry's analysis of the trailers and a Rockstar developer's comments, but Rockstar hasn't officially said, and hasn't said whether there's a 60 fps mode on the Pro. (Gameranx)

Preloading: do this tonight

• PS5: preloading opens at midnight local time on November 10.
• Xbox: it opened at midnight GMT, which was 7 p.m. Eastern on Monday, November 9.
• Size: up to 212 GB depending on your console. The original PS5 has about 667 GB usable, so if you've filled yours, start deleting now.
• It doesn't unlock early. Preloading just means the game is ready to play the moment it launches on the 19th. Rockstar hasn't announced what time that is. Some older guides still say preloading starts November 12; that's out of date.

(Rockstar, VGC)

Price and editions

• Standard: $79.99. That's $10 more than most big console games.
• Ultimate: $99.99, with extra weapons, vehicles, clothing, missions and locations. There's also an upgrade from Standard to Ultimate; Forbes puts it at about $20, but I haven't seen Rockstar's own price.
• Pre-order bonus: the Vintage Vice City Pack, a '55 Vapid Stanier car with a garage, outfits and hairstyles for both leads, and a weapon pattern, for anyone who orders or buys before November 20. Digital pre-orders also get a free month of GTA+, which renews and charges you unless you cancel it.
• The boxed version has no disc. It's a download code in a box, in stores from November 12. If you want a physical copy to resell later, this isn't it.
• No PS5 bundle. Sony is selling two limited GTA-themed DualSense controllers, black and white, and that's it.

(Rockstar via Business Wire, Forbes, GamesRadar)

What the game is

It's set in the state of Leonida, Rockstar's version of Florida, with Vice City standing in for Miami, plus the Keys, swamps and smaller towns. There are two main characters: Lucia Caminos, just out of prison and the series' first female lead, and Jason Duval, an Army veteran who's been working for drug runners in the Keys. The launch trailer came out October 15, made from footage captured on a PS5. (Rockstar, Wikipedia)

Rockstar calls it a "single-player experience." It hasn't announced an online mode, co-op, or a date for one, so don't buy it expecting a new GTA Online on day one. The existing GTA Online is staying; Take-Two's CEO has said there's "every reason to believe" it continues. (PC Gamer, TweakTown)

Reviews and the money

Insider Gaming reports reviews will go up on November 18 in the morning, the day before launch. That comes from a leak Insider Gaming says it checked, not from Rockstar. (Insider Gaming)

Take-Two, Rockstar's parent company, was due to report its quarterly results Monday evening, after I wrote this. In August its CEO called pre-orders "unprecedented and astonishing" without giving a number, and the company expects $8.0 to $8.2 billion in bookings this fiscal year, most of it riding on this one game. Analyst guesses for first-year sales run from about 35 million to 45 million copies. If you own Take-Two stock, Monday's report and November 19 are the two dates that matter. (Take-Two, Forbes)

My advice

• Clear the space and preload this week, so you aren't stuck downloading 200 GB on launch night along with everyone else.
• Standard is enough for most people. The Ultimate extras are cosmetic and side content, and you can upgrade later if you love it.
• Order before November 20 if you want the pre-order pack.
• Cancel the free GTA+ month right after you claim it if you don't want a subscription.
• On PC? You're waiting, probably into next year.

If you want something to play until then, Sunday's post covers the Ocarina of Time remake, Godzilla Melee and this week's free games.

Verified November 7, 2026, from Rockstar Newswire, Rockstar's pre-order announcement, VGC, Take-Two's filings, PC Gamer, Insider Gaming and Forbes. The PC date, the frame rate, the review date and the upgrade price are reports, not Rockstar announcements. Written Saturday for Tuesday, before Take-Two's Monday earnings.