GTA 6 launch calendar: every confirmed date, from pre-load to The Game Awards

Grand Theft Auto VI comes out Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and a lot happens around that day. Here is every date that Rockstar, the stores and their partners have confirmed, in order, with who confirmed it. Dates nobody has announced yet are at the bottom.

At a glance

Now until Nov. 11

Pre-orders have been open since June 25. Every pre-order and purchase before Nov. 20 gets the Vintage Vice City Pack, and digital pre-orders add a free month of GTA+. Our price and editions guide has what each edition includes.

Rockstar released the Launch Trailer on Oct. 15, with a new single from Justice, who Rockstar says composed the game's score.

In Miami, Rockstar's promotions are already running. The "Welcome to Vice City" sign on Kaseya Center's roof was lit Oct. 1, and Miami-Dade County commissioners vote Oct. 20 on whether to keep negotiating more; our story on the vote has the details. Fortune reports Vice City branding on Miami Beach chairs and umbrellas from Oct. 15 through Dec. 31, and free Wynwood Walls admission for Miami-Dade residents from Oct. 13.

Nov. 12: pre-load and Code in Box

If you pre-ordered digitally, you can start downloading GTA 6 on Nov. 12, a week before launch. Rockstar hasn't said what time pre-loading starts, and no file size has been announced, so clearing space on your console beforehand is the safe move.

The physical Standard Edition is a download code in a box, with no disc, and Rockstar says it's available from Nov. 12. The Rockstar Store starts shipping physical orders the same day. More in our pre-load guide.

Mid-November: The Game Awards nominees

The Game Awards says its 2026 nominees are coming in mid-November, possibly before GTA 6 is out. The game is eligible by a day; here's how that works.

Nov. 18: A Night in Vice City

On the eve of launch, the Miami HEAT host the Milwaukee Bucks at Kaseya Center as "Vice City," at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Our story on the night has the uniforms and the court.

Nov. 19: launch day

Store listings unlock GTA 6 at midnight on Nov. 19, using one time zone per country: midnight Eastern for the whole US, which is 9 p.m. Pacific on Nov. 18, midnight in the UK and midnight CET in Germany and France. Rockstar hasn't announced a launch hour. Our release time guide has more countries, and the countdown runs to the start of Nov. 19 where you are.

Also arriving Nov. 19:

• Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, the 34-track soundtrack, on streaming services, vinyl and CD. See our soundtrack guide.
• Sony's Limited Edition DualSense controllers, in Black and White, $84.99 in the US. See our controller story.
• The Goodtime State box, Rockstar's collector's set, which Rockstar says arrives Nov. 19. The game is sold separately. See our collector's box story.

Nov. 19 is also the last day to buy GTA 6 and get the Vintage Vice City Pack: the offer covers every pre-order and purchase before Nov. 20.

After launch

• Nov. 20, 9 p.m. PT: a game must be on sale by now to be eligible for The Game Awards 2026.
• Dec. 9, 6 p.m. PT: fan voting for The Game Awards closes.
• Dec. 10: The Game Awards, live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. ET.
• March 31, 2027: the last day to redeem the pre-order GTA+ month on PlayStation, according to the Rockstar Store FAQ. On Xbox, you have 180 days from purchase.

Not dated yet

• A launch hour. Rockstar hasn't announced one; the times above come from store listings.
• The pre-load hour and the file size.
• Reviews. Rockstar hasn't said when they'll be published.
• Take-Two's next quarterly results. The date isn't set yet. Last year, Take-Two reported its second quarter on Nov. 6.
• The official score album, which Rockstar says it will share more about.
• GTA 6 online and a PC version. Neither has been announced; see our guides on online and PC.

We add dates to this calendar as they're confirmed. Everything Rockstar has confirmed, dated or not, is on our confirmed-facts ledger.