Grand Theft Auto VI releases on Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. That is the date on Rockstar’s official GTA VI page and in every store listing. There is no PC version at launch. Pre-loading opens a week earlier, on November 12.
The date has already moved twice, so it’s fair to ask whether it will move again. As of mid-October 2026, Rockstar’s answer is no: in an interview with Famitsu, Rockstar’s Rob Nelson said the game “will definitely be released on time” (report). Pre-orders have been open since June, the launch trailer is out and physical copies ship November 12.
The dates that matter
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| June 25, 2026 | Pre-orders opened on PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, the Rockstar Store and retailers |
| October 15, 2026 | Launch trailer released, captured in-game on PS5 |
| November 12, 2026 | Pre-loading starts for digital pre-orders; physical copies (a download code in the box) go on sale |
| November 19, 2026 | Launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
Sources: Rockstar’s pre-order announcement and the official GTA VI page. For a live count, see the GTA 6 countdown.
Why it was delayed twice
When Trailer 1 came out in December 2023, it ended on a simple promise: 2025. That window held for about a year and a half.
- May 2025: Rockstar moved the game from fall 2025 to May 26, 2026, saying it needed more time to deliver the quality players expect.
- November 2025: Take-Two announced a second move, from May 26 to November 19, 2026, again framed as extra polish.
Both delays were announced by Rockstar and Take-Two themselves, not leaked. That matters for how much weight to give the current date: the company that moved it twice is the one now saying it is fixed. A third delay this close to launch, with physical stock already being manufactured, would be far more unusual than the first two.
Release date by platform
| Platform | Release |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 (including PS5 Pro) | November 19, 2026 |
| Xbox Series X and Series S | November 19, 2026 |
| PC | Not announced |
| PS4 and Xbox One | Not planned; the game is current-generation only |
What time does it unlock?
Rockstar has announced a date, not a time. Most big console releases unlock at midnight local time in each region, and the PlayStation Store listing points the same way, but Rockstar hasn’t published a schedule yet. Don’t plan around a specific hour until it does.
Is there early access?
No. Neither edition includes early access to the game. The Ultimate Edition adds in-game content, not extra days. Pre-ordering digitally lets you download the game ahead of time so you can play the moment it unlocks, and that’s the only head start on offer.
Will the date change again?
Nobody outside Rockstar can promise that, but every signal points to November 19:
- Rockstar repeated the date in the October 15 launch trailer.
- Rockstar’s Rob Nelson told Famitsu in October that it will “definitely” be on time.
- Retail pre-orders, the November 12 pre-load and physical shipments are all scheduled around it.
We update the GTA 6 hub the day Rockstar announces anything new, and every fact there links to its source.