GTA 6 pre-loads reportedly start on November 12

Players who pre-ordered GTA 6 digitally can start downloading it on Thursday, November 12, according to Game Rant. The outlet calls the date official, but its report doesn't quote a Rockstar Games announcement or link to one. Until Rockstar confirms it on the record, treat the date as reported. The game itself launches on November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

A pre-load only puts the files on your console. Game Rant notes that the game stays locked until its scheduled release time, so downloading early doesn't let you play early. What it does is take the download out of launch night, which helps anyone on a slow connection.

The 210 GB download question

Storage is the main reason the date matters. Game Rant points to reports that the standard edition could need about 210 GB on PS5. None of the material it cites includes an official file size from Rockstar. For scale, the outlet puts GTA 5 at roughly 87 GB to 104 GB and Red Dead Redemption 2 at about 111 GB to 116 GB. Game Rant also notes that Rockstar has called Leonida its largest and most detailed open world yet. A bigger install doesn't automatically mean a map twice the size, though.

According to Game Rant, a launch PS5 has around 667 GB of usable internal space, so a 210 GB install would take up close to a third of the drive. If that figure holds, players with full libraries may need to delete games or move them to an expansion SSD before the pre-load opens. PS5 owners may also want to read our report on the firmware 14.22 requirement that GTA 6 reportedly has.

The New Zealand trick on Xbox

Game Rant also brings up the familiar New Zealand trick for Xbox Series X|S owners. November 19 arrives hours earlier in New Zealand than in the Americas. Game Rant says GTA 6 unlocks at regional midnight, so setting the console's region to New Zealand could let US players start on November 18. The trick has worked for plenty of Xbox releases. Rockstar hasn't said whether it will work for GTA 6, and changing region on a PS5 is much harder. Our Xbox guide covers the steps and the risks.

Unlock times and other open details

Rockstar hasn't given exact unlock times or final storage requirements, and Game Rant expects more on both soon. The outlet also guesses that Rockstar might have something to show on Thursday, November 5, because the studio often makes announcements on Thursdays. Rockstar hasn't scheduled anything for that date. If you're still working out what launch will cost you, our setup-by-setup price breakdown has the numbers.