The wait for GTA 6 is almost over. After years of anticipation, several delays and lots and lots of fan speculation, Rockstar Games’ long-awaited sequel is finally upon us. In just over a week, we’ll all be racing back through Vice City.
With launch day fast approaching, fans can already start pre-loading GTA 6 onto their consoles, meaning you won’t have to wait for the mammoth game to download when it finally unlocks on 19 November and you get playing from the minute it goes live. And if you haven’t yet pre-ordered the game, there’s still time to secure your copy ahead of release.
There are two editions of Grand Theft Auto 6 available to pre-order: the Standard Edition and the Ultimate Edition, with the latter only available digitally through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. From how to pre-load GTA 6 to what comes with each edition, here’s everything you need to know before the game launches next week.
Best ‘GTA 6’ pre-order deals
- ‘GTA 6’ Standard Edition, PS5: Was £69.99, now £64.99, Argos.co.uk
- ‘GTA 6’ Ultimate Edition, PS5: £89.99, Playstation.com
- ‘GTA 6’ Ultimate Edition, Xbox: £89.99, Xbox.com
How to pre-load ‘GTA 6’ on PS5 and Xbox
You can now pre-load GTA 6 onto your console ahead of its release on 19 November. Pre-loading is available on both PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, but you’ll want to ensure you’ve got enough space on your console before you get started. Rockstar says the game requires an enormous 212GB of storage.
If you’ve already pre-ordered GTA 6 via the PlayStation Store and have automatic downloads enabled, the game should start downloading automatically. If it hasn’t, head to your PS5’s Game Library, select GTA 6 and click on the countdown timer. You can either start the download manually or tick the auto-download option. If you want it to keep downloading while your PS5 is powered down, make sure you’ve toggled on ‘Stay Connected to the Internet’ in your console’s power-saving settings.
For those of you with an Xbox Series X/S, GTA 6 should also download automatically if you’ve enabled the relevant settings and have pre-ordered the game from the Microsoft Store. If not, head to the Microsoft Store, find GTA 6 and select the option to install it. If you want the download to continue while you’re away from your console, head into Settings, select General, select Power options and then switch it to Sleep mode. Make sure your console is connected to the internet.
If you’ve ordered a physical boxed copy of GTA 6, which comes with a download code inside the box, your copy will start shipping from 12 November, letting you redeem the code and pre-load the game before launch.
You won’t get early access by pre-loading the game. GTA 6 will officially unlock at midnight on 19 November in the UK.
Where to pre-order ‘GTA 6’ Ultimate Edition in the UK
‘GTA 6’ Ultimate Edition: £89.99, Playstation.com
The Ultimate Edition of GTA 6 is available to pre-order digitally through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. It costs £89.99, which isn’t as much as many were fearing. What do you get with the Ultimate Edition that you don’t get with the Standard Edition? Rockstar has stuffed the Ultimate Edition with exclusive vehicles, weapons, clothing, missions and customisation options that unlock as you progress through Jason and Lucia's story.
In terms of vehicles, you’ll get a '67 Vapid Dominator Buggy, the returning '95 Grotti Cheetah sports car, a Dinka Enduro motorcycle, a Crest Kayak at Jason's safehouse and a Shitzu Squalo speedboat. You'll also receive exclusive mods for Jason's Vapid Ganado pickup, plus access to two exclusive vehicle workshops – Rideout Customs and One-Eyed Willie's.
For missions and activities, Rockstar is including a Classic Car Collection questline, which lets you restore abandoned vehicles, as well as the PTT Youngin$ compound raid activity, where you'll earn special contraband rewards as you play.
Read more: Where you can buy limited-edition GTA 6 PS5 controllers
The Ultimate Edition also includes Hawk & Little Morgan Revolvers with Vice City styling, personalised versions of Jason's Girardi ES9 and Lucia's Klose K17 pistols, plus exclusive weapon customisation.
Finally, there are dozens of cosmetic extras. You can unlock exclusive Vice City-inspired outfits for Jason and Lucia, Goodtime Gear clothing and accessories, access to the Stock 305 streetwear shop, new hairstyles, facial hair, makeup and nail options from Sara's Unisex Salon, plus more than 50 exclusive tattoos from Electric Fang Tattoo.
By pre-ordering GTA 6, you'll get a Vintage Vice City pack, which includes the '55 Vapid Stanier sedan, the Shore Court Garage near Ocean Beach, two Vice City-inspired outfits for Jason and Lucia, vintage hairstyles for both protagonists and a tropical weapon skin inspired by Tommy Vercetti's iconic palm-tree shirt.
On top of that, Rockstar is throwing in a free month of GTA+. The subscription includes a monthly GTA$500,000 deposit for GTA Online, bonus GTA$ when purchasing Shark Cards, access to exclusive discounts and member-only vehicles, plus a rotating library of Rockstar Games titles. The free month can be redeemed immediately after pre-ordering – just remember to cancel the subscription or you will be charged.
Where to pre-order ‘GTA 6’ Standard Edition in the UK
‘GTA 6’ Standard Edition: Was £69.99, now £64.99, Argos.co.uk
The Standard Edition of GTA 6 is available to pre-order from a number of UK retailers. It costs £69.99, but Argos and Amazon have already slashed £5 off the price.
Unlike the Ultimate Edition, the Standard Edition doesn't include any of the exclusive vehicles, missions, weapons or cosmetic extras. However, you'll still get the full GTA 6 single-player experience.
That said, you won't miss out on the pre-order bonuses. If you get the Standard Edition, you’ll receive the same Vintage Vice City pack as Ultimate Edition owners, complete with the classic '55 Vapid Stanier sedan, Shore Court Garage, retro outfits and hairstyles for Jason and Lucia, plus a Tommy Vercetti-inspired weapon skin.
If you're buying a physical copy, do note that the box won't contain a disc. Rockstar is instead shipping a download code inside the case, so you can preload the game before launch. Because the physical Edition is cheaper than the digital edition, there's very little downside to picking up the boxed version if you'd like something physical to display.
‘Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album’: £44.99, Amazon.co.uk
Grand Theft Auto’s soundtrack has always been a big deal in itself. Rockstar Games has announced that GTA 6 will be getting two separate vinyl releases. The first is the official soundtrack, featuring 34 tracks from artists including Travis Scott, PinkPantheress, Yung Lean and Keith Richards. It’s available to pre-order from Amazon for £44.99. The retailer is selling an exclusive edition featuring two pink-and-purple splatter vinyl records, a gatefold sleeve and a poster. It will ship on 20 November.
‘Grand Theft Auto VI: Original Score’ by Justice: £49.99, HMV.com
GTA 6’s original score, composed by French electronic duo Justice, features 30 original tracks on three records. It includes collaborations with Tame Impala, SZA, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and Gesaffelstein. HMV is selling a limited-edition crystal-clear vinyl version for £49.99, including a gatefold sleeve featuring a UV gloss finish and a download card for exclusive content. It’s available to pre-order now ahead of its release on 11 December.
Why doesn't the ‘GTA 6’ physical edition include a disc?
Rockstar hasn’t officially explained why it’s ditching discs at launch, but it’s probably because it appears the entire industry is moving away from physical media. In July, Sony announced that it would stop manufacturing discs for new PlayStation games from January 2028.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick also defended GTA 6’s digital-only launch in August, arguing that discs didn’t make much sense for consumers when most games require an internet connection.
For now, there’s no indication that Rockstar plans to release a physical version of GTA 6. The publisher has confirmed that boxed copies containing download codes will be available from 12 November, so players will still get it a week in advance in order to pre-load the game before its release on 19 November. Just bear in mind that, unlike a traditional physical copy, you won’t be able to trade in or resell the game once the code has been redeemed.
Will ‘GTA 6’ be cross-play compatible?
One question Rockstar still hasn't answered is whether GTA 6 will support cross-play. That’s probably because – for now, at least – it’s totally irrelevant.
The developer has confirmed that the game will launch as a single-player experience on 19 November, with no GTA Online mode available on day one. However, speaking to Bloomberg in September, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy suggested that the game’s multiplayer component could arrive sometime in 2027. Rockstar hasn’t officially confirmed when it will launch.
Will there be cross-play when GTA Online launches? It would be a first. GTA 5 has no cross-play support, nor does Red Dead Online. I know plenty of Xbox players would love to play online with their PS5-owning friends and vice versa, so I lie in wait.
Is there a ‘GTA 6’ Collector's Edition?
Sort of. On 24 September, Rockstar announced a premium collector’s box called The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection, which costs a whopping £349.99.
Inspired by the fictional Leonida TV show Macca the Gator, the collection includes a 6in alligator figurine, Oakley sunglasses, a New Era snapback cap, a crossbody bag, a shot glass, a double-sided map of Leonida and lots of other physical goodies.
The catch? Despite costing almost £350, the collection doesn’t actually include a copy of GTA 6. You’ll have to buy the game separately. It’s available to pre-order exclusively through the Rockstar Games Store and will ship on 19 November.
When will ‘GTA 6’ Online launch?
Rockstar has described GTA 6 as a “single-player experience” at launch, with no mention of an online mode arriving on 19 November.
It’s not surprising. GTA Online launched roughly two weeks after GTA 5 back in 2013. Red Dead Online didn't arrive until several months after Red Dead Redemption 2. As mentioned above, Twitch’s CEO previously said multiplayer will arrive in 2027.
Who are the main characters in ‘GTA 6’?
The two main protagonists are Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Jason is a former soldier working for local drug runners in the Keys, while Lucia has just been released from Leonida Penitentiary and is looking for a way to turn her life around.
Cal Hampton is Jason’s friend and an associate of Brian Heder. He is described as living “at the low tide of America” and spends his time listening to Coast Guard communications while drinking at home. Brian Heder is a veteran drug smuggler from the Keys. He runs a boat yard with his third wife, Lori, and is allowing Jason to live rent-free at one of his properties in exchange for help with local shakedowns.
Boobie Ike is described as a “Vice City legend who owns a strip club, recording studio and property portfolio”, while Dre’Quan Priest is said to be an “aspiring music mogul who runs Only Raw Records and is focused on building his label’s reputation in the local music scene”.
Real Dimez is a rap duo made up of Bae-Luxe and Roxy. They are described as using their time shaking down dealers to fund their music careers and grow their social media following. They are signed to Only Raw Records. Raul Bautista is described as a “seasoned bank robber who is always on the hunt for new talent”.
What was shown in ‘GTA 6: An Extended Look’?
GTA 6’s extended look showed a first look at gameplay, along with new cinematics, some of the main missions available to players and some of the vast amount of side activities that will be on offer. It starts off showing Jason and Lucia entering a drug den to do a pickup for someone called Boobie. This goes wrong, with Jason and Lucia getting caught in the crossfire between two different warring gangs.
The following section sees Jason at Lucia’s apartment before a police chase. It’s later shown that in missions, perspectives can seamlessly be switched at any time.
In terms of gameplay, there is a traditional third-person perspective with wheels for weapons and items. Players can interact with people and pets by holding down the left trigger, like in Red Dead Redemption 2, with a number of options then shown of how the interaction can go.
There are bars for health, stamina and focus. Focus acts like Arthur’s Dead Eye ability in RDR2 – it can be slowed down to perform the perfect shot. Parts of enemies glow red for instant kills and other parts glow yellow so they can be incapacitated, like weapons being shot out of hands or legs shot so they cannot come after you.
Jason and Lucia’s relationship seems to be intended to be a romantic one, but there is no penalty for how players want to manage this. Players can choose to go on dates, perform activities together and frequently text to build that relationship or ignore this aspect completely and keep it more platonic without it affecting what happens in the story.
It seems police are a lot more intelligent this time around and can recognise players based on traits such as physical appearance, clothing, accomplices and what vehicle players are in. When police are chasing, the most effective way to stop them seems to be shooting their tyres.
Loads of side activities and minigames were also given a glimpse, such as basketball, deep-sea diving and kayaking. More elaborate activities such as organised circuit and dirt racing, parachuting and working out to maintain and build cores were shown too.
Speaking of which, it’s reported that players will have to build and maintain cores like in RDR2 but on a much bigger scale. Players will have to watch what they eat, train at gyms to stay toned and not go out and party too much. Otherwise, facial appearances will change as characters look more tired.
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