GTA 6 countdown

Grand Theft Auto VI launches on Thursday 19 November 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and the clock below counts down to midnight where you are.

Checked 19 September 2026. We update this page when Rockstar publishes more.

By Vicedex, an independent GTA 6 reference. How we check and report a mistake.

Rockstar has not published unlock times, so the clock counts to your own local midnight. The expected pattern by region is on the release time page.

How we got here

Every date below comes from a Rockstar post or a Rockstar page, listed in Sources.

1. 1 Dec 2023
   Rockstar announces the first trailer for Tuesday 5 December at 9am ET.
2. 4 Dec 2023
   Trailer 1 goes out, a day ahead of the announced slot. Rockstar's own video listing dates it 4 December 2023. The game is named for 2025, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
3. 2 May 2025
   The launch moves to 26 May 2026. Rockstar says the extra time is needed to finish the game.
4. 6 May 2025
   Trailer 2 goes out, introducing Jason and Lucia and the state of Leonida.
5. 6 Nov 2025
   The launch moves again, to Thursday 19 November 2026. This is the date that still stands.
6. 24 Jun 2026
   Rockstar announces that pre-orders open the next day, and publishes the Standard and Ultimate edition contents.
7. 25 Jun 2026
   Pre-orders open at midnight local time across the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store, the Rockstar Store and retailers.
8. 27 Aug 2026
   An Extended Look, twenty six minutes of footage Rockstar says was captured entirely in game on PlayStation 5.
9. 12 Nov 2026
   Pre-load opens at local midnight for digital pre-orders. Physical code in box copies are available from the same day.
10. 19 Nov 2026
    Launch, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar describes it as a single-player experience.

Editions and pre-orders

Two editions. The Vintage Vice City Pack comes with either one, and the free month of GTA+ comes with digital pre-orders.

Standard

Digital or code in a box

Ultimate

Digital only, upgrade sold separately

Pre-order bonus

Vintage Vice City Pack, plus one month of GTA+ on digital pre-orders

Platforms

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

PC

Not announced

Rockstar's edition comparison names five locations, including two vehicle mod shops, as "only open for business with the Ultimate Edition". The full item by item list, and what is still unverified about it, is on the Ultimate Edition and mod shop page. Store prices for both editions are on the editions and price page.

Launch week checklist

Five things, in the order they matter.

• Pre-load from 12 November if you pre-ordered digitally. A code in a box needs redeeming first.
• Clear space on the console. Rockstar has not published the download size, so leave more room than you think you need.
• Bookmark the cheats page. It says no verified codes exist yet, and it fills in on launch night as codes are verified.
• Open the completion checklist before you start, so your first run counts.
• Leave your email on the homepage if you want one message on launch day, and nothing else.

If the date moves again, this page and the release time page change the same day, with the Newswire post linked.

Two questions people ask while they wait, both answered honestly rather than guessed at: how long GTA 6 takes to beat and how big the map is.