GTA 6 pre-load is live: what time it started for you, and how to make sure it's downloading

GTA 6 pre-load is open on both consoles as of today, 10 November, and the file is up to 212GB. If you pre-ordered digitally, your console can pull the whole game down now, nine days before it unlocks.

The catch is that PS5 and Xbox didn't start at the same moment. Rockstar's Newswire post from 3 November says PS5 pre-loading begins "at midnight local time in your respective time zone", while Xbox Series X|S starts "globally" at 12 a.m. GMT.

What time it started for you

That one global Xbox time lands very differently depending on where you live. Here's how it worked out:

• US Eastern: Xbox opened at 7pm on Monday 9 November. PS5 followed at midnight, five hours later.
• US Pacific: Xbox at 4pm on Monday 9 November, PS5 at midnight, so Xbox players out west got an eight-hour head start.
• UK: both at midnight. GMT is UK time in November, so nobody got a head start.
• Central Europe (Paris, Berlin, Madrid): PS5 at midnight, Xbox an hour later at 1am.

So in the Americas Xbox went first, and anywhere east of the UK the PS5 did. If you're in Sydney, for example, Xbox didn't open until 11am today.

Getting it going on PS5

Rockstar's pre-load FAQ says PS5 players need auto-downloads turned on and the console either on or in Rest Mode. PlayStation's own GTA VI support page fills in the rest. Go to Game Library, then Your Collection, pick your GTAVI pre-order and select the countdown timer, and make sure the box next to GTAVI is ticked. That same timer screen lets you start the download by hand if it hasn't kicked off.

For Rest Mode downloads, Sony says to switch on Stay Connected to the Internet under Settings, System, Power Saving, Features Available in Rest Mode. And if the download's listed but stuck, PlayStation's fix is to pause and resume it from Downloads/Uploads in the control centre. Still stuck? Check you're signed in to the account that made the pre-order, or that you've redeemed your code.

Getting it going on Xbox

On Xbox, Rockstar says you need automatic updates on and the console either on or in Sleep mode. Microsoft's settings path is Profile & system, Settings, System, Updates, then tick Keep my games & apps up to date. Sleep is under Profile & system, Settings, General, Power options.

If the game isn't showing in My games & apps, Microsoft's pre-order FAQ says to search for it in the Store and select Install. Its advice is don't buy it again if a price shows up, because that can mean you get charged twice.

212GB on a 667GB drive

Rockstar says the pre-load needs "up to 212 GB depending on your device". A base PS5's 825GB drive gives you about 667GB once the system's taken its share, so GTA 6 eats close to a third of it. We've got a guide to the SSDs worth buying for PS5 if you're short.

Our 210GB report from October, based on PlayStation Store data, turned out to be within a couple of gigs. Older pages that said pre-load would open on 12 November are out of date too. That's now just the day code-in-box copies are due at retailers.

No, you can't play it yet

Pre-loading gets the files onto your drive. It doesn't let you in early. The game still unlocks on 19 November, and our unlock time guide has the time for each store region.

Launch day also brings a small extra. Rockstar's putting a free printable cover art poster and map of Leonida on its site on the 19th, and a double-sided physical one lands on the Rockstar Store shortly after launch for $0.99, or free with any order there.