Quick answer: Grand Theft Auto VI launches on Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Store listings show it unlocking at midnight local time in each store region, starting in New Zealand at 11:00 UTC on November 18. In the US, the listed time is 12:00 a.m. ET on November 19, which is 9:00 p.m. PT on November 18. Rockstar itself has not announced an unlock hour.
What is confirmed and what is not
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Release date: Thursday, November 19, 2026 | Confirmed by Rockstar |
| Platforms: PS5 and Xbox Series X|S | Confirmed by Rockstar |
| Pre-load from November 12, at local midnight | Confirmed by Rockstar |
| Unlock at midnight local time, by store region | Store listings only, not announced by Rockstar |
GTA 6 unlock time by country
The table below follows the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store listings, sorted from first to last unlock. Each store uses one moment per country: midnight in the capital’s time zone.
| Country | Local unlock time | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. | Nov 18, 11:00 |
| Australia | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. in Sydney and Melbourne (Nov 18, 9:00 p.m. in Perth) | Nov 18, 13:00 |
| Japan | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. | Nov 18, 15:00 |
| Germany, France, Spain | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. | Nov 18, 23:00 |
| United Kingdom, Portugal | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. | Nov 19, 00:00 |
| Brazil, Argentina, Chile | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. (Nov 18, 11:00 p.m. in Manaus) | Nov 19, 03:00 |
| Colombia, Peru | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. | Nov 19, 05:00 |
| United States, Canada | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. ET (Nov 18: 11:00 p.m. CT, 10:00 p.m. MT, 9:00 p.m. PT) | Nov 19, 05:00 |
| Mexico | Nov 19, 12:00 a.m. in Mexico City | Nov 19, 06:00 |
These times come from store listings, not from a Rockstar announcement, so they can still change before launch. From New Zealand to Mexico, the rollout spans about 19 hours.
Why the US West Coast can play before midnight
The US listing is set to Eastern Time for the whole country. If it stays that way, players in Los Angeles can start at 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18, and players in Chicago at 11:00 p.m. Canada and Australia list a single moment too, so Vancouver and Perth also unlock at 9:00 p.m. on the 18th.
Does GTA 6 unlock at the same time on PS5 and Xbox?
On the store listings, yes. When the listings were checked country by country, the Xbox Store showed the same local midnights as the PlayStation Store everywhere except Peru, where Xbox had no page for the game yet. Neither Microsoft nor Rockstar has confirmed this in an announcement.
Can you play earlier with a New Zealand account?
In theory, a copy unlocks at the time of the store it was bought from, so a New Zealand copy opens first. In practice, that means a separate New Zealand account and a second copy of the game bought on it. Sony and Microsoft both expect your account region to match where you live, and switching regions can cause payment and access problems. Pre-loading on your own account and waiting for your local unlock is the safer route.
Before launch day
- Pre-order digitally, or redeem the code from a boxed copy, so you can pre-load from November 12.
- Free up storage space now, since Rockstar has not announced the file size.
- Check your own store region’s listing a few days before launch in case the time changes.
Our take: rely on your own store listing, not a country table, including this one, in launch week. Our launch tracker converts each listed time to your device’s clock. We wouldn’t buy a second copy in another region to play a few hours early, since it costs a full game and could cause account problems.
Read next
- GTA 6 pre-load: start date, how it works and how much space you need
- GTA 6 Standard vs Ultimate Edition: what you get and which to buy
- Does GTA 6 have online at launch?
Sources
- Take-Two Interactive: Rockstar Games Announces Pre-Orders for Grand Theft Auto VI (June 24, 2026)
- Rockstar Games Support: Grand Theft Auto VI Platforms, Editions, and Versions
- Endgame Tools: GTA 6 release time by country (store listings, updated October 10, 2026)
- Forbes: You Can Install GTA VI Early, Here’s the Preload Window (October 26, 2026)
More guides
GTA 6 Pre-Load: Start Date, How It Works and How Much Space You Need
Updated November 4, 2026
GTA 6 Standard vs Ultimate Edition: What You Get and Which to Buy
Updated November 4, 2026