What you need to play GTA 6 on launch day
Most of this is free and takes ten minutes. The rest is easier to decide before the nineteenth than on it.
Two things need doing before November 12: clear the storage, and be ready to pre-load. Everything below is one of those two or a decision that is easier to make now than on launch day.
Free, and best done before November 12
Clear the storage. Rockstar has not published an install size, so there is no number to plan against. Go through your installed games and delete what you have finished; console storage re-downloads at no cost.
Pre-load on the twelfth. Rockstar Support states that pre-load begins at local midnight on November 12, a week before launch. Pre-load and file size has the detail.
The box has no disc. Rockstar states that the physical version contains a download code. You download the full game either way.
Check your console updates. A pending system update can install itself at launch and delay you.
Decide on the edition. Standard is $79.99 in the US, Ultimate is $99.99. The difference is cosmetic content, there is no performance difference, and Rockstar states that you can upgrade later. Our editions guide has the breakdown.
Optional
Storage expansion. If you are chronically short on space, an internal NVMe expansion is the fix rather than repeatedly deleting things. Both current consoles support this. Check the speed requirements for your specific console before buying, because not every NVMe drive qualifies.
Headphones. Useful if you are playing late without waking the house, and Rockstar has confirmed a 34-track soundtrack album and an unspecified in-game radio system — see our soundtrack guide.
A capture card, if you are making content. A console-only launch means console capture.
What you do not need
A PS5 Pro or a new TV. Rockstar lists PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, without naming a Pro model as a requirement.
A PC. No PC version has been announced. See our PC release page.
An online subscription, for now. Take-Two describes the launch release as a single-player experience, and console subscriptions are not required for single-player games. That changes if an online mode arrives later. Our no-online-at-launch page has the detail.
On launch day
Pre-loaded, storage clear, console updated. No unlock time has been announced yet; see release timing. If you are going for completion, our map is built to run on a phone alongside the game.
Common questions
Do I need a PS5 Pro for GTA 6?
No. The game is confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, and a base console is a supported platform.
When can I preload GTA 6?
Pre-load begins November 12, 2026, one week before the November 19 launch.
How much storage does GTA 6 need?
Rockstar has not published an install size. Clear as much space as you reasonably can rather than planning around a number nobody has confirmed.
Does the physical copy of GTA 6 save me the download?
No. The box contains a download code rather than a disc, so you download the full game either way.
Do I need internet to play GTA 6?
You need it to download or preload the game. The launch release is a single-player experience with no online mode.