GTA 6 Release Timeline: Every Key Date From 2023 to Launch

GTA 6 took almost three years to get from its first trailer to launch, with two delays along the way. Here is every key date in one place: what already happened, what is left before November 19, and the few dates after launch worth knowing.

2023: the reveal

  • December 4, 2023: Trailer 1. Rockstar had planned to show it on December 5, but the trailer leaked online, so Rockstar released it a day early. It introduced Lucia, Vice City and the state of Leonida, and gave a release window of 2025.

2025: first delay, Trailer 2, second delay

  • May 2, 2025: first delay. Rockstar moved GTA 6 from its fall 2025 window to May 26, 2026, saying it needed more time to reach the quality players expect, and apologised for the wait.
  • May 6, 2025: Trailer 2. It gave both leads their full names, Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, and showed much more of Leonida. Rockstar's site also added character and location pages around this time.
  • November 6, 2025: second delay. Rockstar set the final date: Thursday, November 19, 2026.

2026: the road to launch

  • June 25: pre-orders open at midnight local time. Standard Edition $79.99, Ultimate Edition $99.99 in the US. Purchases before November 20 include the Vintage Vice City Pack, and digital pre-orders include a month of GTA+.
  • August 6: Rockstar announces Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look.
  • August 27: An Extended Look (about 27 minutes of in-game footage captured on PS5) premieres on Netflix, then on YouTube and Rockstar's site the same evening.
  • September: Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album is announced for November 19. Take-Two confirms GTA 6 is a single-player title and that GTA Online will keep getting support.
  • October 8: Rockstar introduces some of the in-game radio stations.
  • October 15: Launch Trailer, with the Justice single "Flower in a Hurricane".
  • October 29: second Justice single, "Pusher".
  • November 3: Rockstar moves digital pre-load forward from November 12 to November 10.

What is left before launch

  • November 10: pre-load opens. PS5 at midnight in your local time zone, Xbox Series X|S at 12 a.m. GMT worldwide. Up to 212 GB.
  • November 12: boxed copies (a download code, no disc) reach retailers.
  • November 19: launch day. The game unlocks at midnight local time, according to PlayStation Store listings, starting with New Zealand. Rockstar also adds a free printable map of Leonida and a cover poster to its site, and The Album comes out.

After launch

  • November 20: the Vintage Vice City Pack is no longer included with new purchases.
  • December 11: Grand Theft Auto VI Original Score by Justice comes out.
  • Not dated: a PC version and any GTA 6 online mode. Neither is announced.

Quick answers

How many times was GTA 6 delayed? Twice: from fall 2025 to May 26, 2026, then to November 19, 2026.

When did pre-orders open? June 25, 2026, at midnight local time.

When does pre-load start? November 10, 2026.

Is there a third trailer? Rockstar's third big video was An Extended Look on August 27, followed by the Launch Trailer on October 15.

What this means for you

  • The date has held since November 2025, and Rockstar's own pre-load post confirms November 19.
  • Your next real deadline is November 10: free up space and start the pre-load.
  • If you want the Vintage Vice City Pack, buy before November 20.

Sources

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