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  1. Games
  2. Action Games
  3. Grand Theft Auto
  4. GTA 6

GTA 6 pre-loads open exactly 1 week before Rockstar's long-awaited sequel comes out, Take-Two finally confirms

News
By Anthony McGlynn published 24 June 2026

The physical release is coming slightly early as well

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GTA 6 Ultimate Edition screenshot, showing Lucia getting her nails done in a salon while wearing sunglasses, a striped top, hoop earrings, and a ponytail
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Everyone please remain calm; it's happening. GTA 6 is coming, and there are more pre-order details to prove it. You can pre-order GTA 6 as of midnight tonight, June 24, and doing so will let you pre-load Rockstar's upcoming crime sim a whole week early.

Presuming there are no more unforeseen delays, the sixth mainline Grand Theft Auto arrives on November 19, and with the ability to put your money down for a copy, the question arises: when can you start downloading the release? Pre-loads will kick off on Thursday, November 12, letting you prime whatever platform you're using for when access fully unlocks seven days later.

This is across all available versions, however it's especially worth noting how it works for physical copies. This version begins shipping on November 12 to allow buyers to take advantage of pre-loading ahead of the big day.

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"Physical" is a misnomer, since it's just a case with a download code inside. There are no discs, according to publisher Take-Two. This is one of several confirmed ways of buying GTA 6 at present. You have the standard edition, and then the requisite Ultimate Edition, which contains "an exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and action threaded across all aspects of Jason and Lucia’s story," according to the press release.

All pre-orders come with the Vice City Vintage Pack, celebrating Tommy Vercetti's exploits as the series returns to his sun-soaked corner of the United States. Pre-ordering on a digital platform, such as the PlayStation Store or the Rockstar Games Store, will get you a free month of GTA+ as well, where you can play older entries in the franchise.

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We got a look at the Grand Theft Auto 6 cover art mere days ago, teasing a further windfall of information. The long-awaited third trailer is likely to come soon as well.

This all comes amid controversy for Rockstar, as the studio came under public scrutiny for dismissing several members of staff late last year. Take-Two has since drawn ire for shutting down a GTA Online RP platform in May, after acquiring rival outfit FiveM.

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GTA 6 price officially confirmed, and at $80 fears that Rockstar would break the $100 barrier were unfounded

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Anthony McGlynn
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Contributing Writer

Anthony is an Irish entertainment and games journalist, now based in Glasgow. He previously served as Senior Anime Writer at Dexerto and News Editor at The Digital Fix, on top of providing work for Variety, IGN, Den of Geek, PC Gamer, and many more. Besides Studio Ghibli, horror movies, and The Muppets, he enjoys action-RPGs, heavy metal, and pro-wrestling. He interviewed Animal once, not that he won’t stop going on about it or anything.

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