GTA 6 countdown: the key dates before launch

Pre-load on 12 November, launch and album on 19 November, and the pre-order bonus cut-off, in order, with what is still unannounced.

The launch date: 19 November 2026

GTA 6 launches on Thursday 19 November 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Before that, the main date to put in your calendar is 12 November, when pre-loading opens. Both dates come from Rockstar, and at the time of writing (October 2026) neither has changed.

The launch date has held since Take-Two announced it on 6 November 2025. Take-Two's annual report for the year to 31 March 2026 says the game "is planned for release on November 19, 2026, during our fiscal year 2027". Wccftech reported that on the May 2026 earnings call, chief executive Strauss Zelnick said: "We are excited about our November 19 release."

The dates still ahead

1. 12 November 2026: pre-loading opens. Rockstar says digital pre-orders can pre-load from 12 November, and the physical version, which contains a download code in the box, is also available from 12 November to support pre-loading. No time of day has been given.
2. 19 November 2026: Grand Theft Auto VI launches. Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, with 34 original tracks made with Atlantic Records, is released the same day, and the Goodtime State Vice City Collection Collector's Box is due to arrive on 19 November too.
3. End of 19 November 2026: the last chance to get the Vintage Vice City Pack. Rockstar says pre-orders and purchases made before 20 November get the Vintage Vice City Pack.

The dates already behind us

• 4 December 2023: Take-Two announced the game for release in 2025, and the first trailer came out the same day.
• 6 May 2025: the second trailer was released, days after the game moved to 26 May 2026.
• 6 November 2025: Take-Two moved the launch to 19 November 2026.
• 25 June 2026: pre-orders opened at midnight local time.
• 27 August 2026: the Extended Look premiered on Netflix at 3 pm ET, then on Rockstar's YouTube channel and the GTA VI site at 9 pm ET.
• 17 September 2026: Rockstar announced Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album and released its first six singles.
• 24 September 2026: Rockstar opened pre-orders for the Vice City Collection Collector's Box, sold while supplies last.

Dates nobody has announced

Rockstar has not published the hour the game unlocks on 19 November, so any countdown that ticks down to a specific minute is guessing. Reports based on PlayStation Store data suggest midnight local time, but that is not a Rockstar announcement. Our release time article covers those reports.

There is also no announced date for a PC version, and the Vice City Collection has no closing date beyond "while supplies last". The free month of GTA+ that comes with a digital pre-order is described on Rockstar's GTA VI page, which is the place to check its terms.

If you see a new date in a video or post, look for it on Rockstar Newswire or in a Take-Two release before you act on it. A date that appears in neither is a rumour.

A simple countdown plan

1. Now: if you want the Vintage Vice City Pack, make sure your order is in by launch day.
2. Before 12 November: clear storage space on your console, since there is no official file size yet.
3. 12 November: start the pre-load on each console you plan to play on.
4. The week of 16 November: check Rockstar Newswire for an unlock time or any late launch news.
5. 19 November: play, and listen to the album if you pre-saved it.

Making a countdown poster

A countdown is more fun with something to share. The site's free poster maker can make a GTA-style countdown poster for a group chat or a launch night, and you can update the number each day.

Keep the text to facts you can check: the title, 19 November 2026 and the two platforms. Leave off an exact time until one is published, because a wrong hour on a shared poster is hard to take back.

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