GTA 6 release time
GTA 6 unlocks at midnight local time on 19 November 2026. That means New Zealand plays it almost a full day before Hawaii does.
Why everyone gets it at a different moment
Rockstar is not flipping one global switch. Support documentation says the game unlocks at local midnight in each territory, so the release rolls around the planet from east to west over about 23 hours. Confirmed
Exact unlock time by country
Sorted from first to last. The UTC column is what matters if you are comparing with a friend abroad or watching a stream.
| Country | Local time | Zone | In UTC |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+13 | 18 Nov · 11:00 UTC |
| Australia — Sydney & Melbourne | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+11 | 18 Nov · 13:00 UTC |
| Australia — Adelaide | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+10:30 | 18 Nov · 13:30 UTC |
| Australia — Brisbane | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+10 | 18 Nov · 14:00 UTC |
| Australia — Perth | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+8 | 18 Nov · 16:00 UTC |
| Singapore | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+8 | 18 Nov · 16:00 UTC |
| Philippines | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+8 | 18 Nov · 16:00 UTC |
| India | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+5:30 | 18 Nov · 18:30 UTC |
| South Africa | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+2 | 18 Nov · 22:00 UTC |
| Nigeria | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+1 | 18 Nov · 23:00 UTC |
| United Kingdom | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+0 | 19 Nov · 00:00 UTC |
| Ireland | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC+0 | 19 Nov · 00:00 UTC |
| Canada — Atlantic | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC−4 | 19 Nov · 04:00 UTC |
| United States — Eastern | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC−5 | 19 Nov · 05:00 UTC |
| Canada — Eastern | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC−5 | 19 Nov · 05:00 UTC |
| United States — Central | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC−6 | 19 Nov · 06:00 UTC |
| United States — Mountain | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC−7 | 19 Nov · 07:00 UTC |
| United States — Pacific | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC−8 | 19 Nov · 08:00 UTC |
| United States — Alaska | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC−9 | 19 Nov · 09:00 UTC |
| United States — Hawaii | 19 Nov · 00:00 | UTC−10 | 19 Nov · 10:00 UTC |
Local midnight converted using each zone's offset for November 2026. Southern-hemisphere zones are on summer time that week, which is where most conversions go wrong.
Preload: do this on 12 November
The download opens a week early, on 12 November. Preloading does not get you in sooner, but it is the difference between playing at 00:01 and watching a progress bar while everyone else plays. Confirmed
Rockstar has not published the download size. Clear more space than you think you need before the 12th, because that is the night the servers are busiest.
What is not known
- The download size. Still unpublished.
- Whether region switching unlocks it early. Rockstar has not addressed it.
- Whether servers hold up in the first hours.
Frequently asked questions
What time does GTA 6 come out?
At midnight local time on 19 November 2026, wherever you are. Rockstar support states the game unlocks at local midnight in each territory, which is why New Zealand plays it almost a full day before Hawaii.
ConfirmedWhat time does GTA 6 release in the UK?
Midnight on 19 November, which is 00:00 UTC. The UK is on GMT in November, so clock time and UTC are the same.
ConfirmedWhat time does GTA 6 release in the US?
Midnight local time in each zone: 05:00 UTC Eastern, 06:00 Central, 07:00 Mountain, 08:00 Pacific. The east coast plays it three hours before the west.
ConfirmedCan I start downloading before release day?
Yes. Preload opens on 12 November, a week early, so the download is finished before the unlock.
ConfirmedWill it unlock early if I change my console's region?
Rockstar has not addressed this. It has worked on some past releases and been blocked on others, so treat it as a gamble rather than a trick.
UnconfirmedUnlock model from Rockstar Games support, which states local midnight per territory. Global window cross-checked against Eurogamer.