Confirmed said by Rockstar or Take-TwoPreview report from store listings or credible reportingRumor / leak unverified
The short answer
- US and Canada: 12:00 AM Eastern on November 19. That's 9 PM Pacific on November 18.
- UK and Ireland: 12:00 AM GMT on November 19.
- Most of Europe: 12:00 AM CET on November 19.
- Australia: 12:00 AM AEDT on November 19 (9 PM in Perth on November 18).
- First in the world: New Zealand, at 11:00 UTC on November 18.
These times come from the PlayStation Store's own listings for each country, first reported in early September. Preview report Rockstar hasn't published an official unlock table, so the store can still change them. Check the countdown on your own store page in launch week.
Pick your region to see the unlock time on your own clock.
Your store region is the country on your PlayStation account, not where you are right now.
GTA 6 unlock time in every region
There are 15 separate unlock windows. Most are midnight in the store region's main time zone. Big countries with several time zones use one nationwide time, so their western areas get the game the evening before.
| Store region | Local unlock | UTC | Other local clocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 12:00 AM NZDT, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 11:00 UTC | Chatham Islands 12:45 AM |
| Australia | 12:00 AM AEDT, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 13:00 UTC | Adelaide 11:30 PM, Brisbane 11 PM, Darwin 10:30 PM, Perth 9 PM (all Nov 18) |
| Japan, South Korea | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 15:00 UTC | Same across the region |
| Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 16:00 UTC | Same across the region |
| Indonesia, Thailand | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 17:00 UTC | Eastern Indonesia 1-2 AM |
| India | 12:00 AM IST, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 18:30 UTC | Same across the region |
| United Arab Emirates | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 20:00 UTC | Same across the region |
| Saudi Arabia, Türkiye | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 21:00 UTC | Same across the region |
| Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Israel, Romania, South Africa, Ukraine | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 22:00 UTC | Same across the region |
| Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland | 12:00 AM CET, Nov 19 | Nov 18, 23:00 UTC | Canary Islands 11 PM Nov 18 |
| United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, Iceland | 12:00 AM GMT, Nov 19 | Nov 19, 00:00 UTC | Azores 11 PM Nov 18 |
| Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | Nov 19, 03:00 UTC | Manaus 11 PM, Acre 10 PM (Nov 18) |
| Bolivia | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | Nov 19, 04:00 UTC | Same across the region |
| United States, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru | 12:00 AM ET, Nov 19 | Nov 19, 05:00 UTC | US/Canada: Central 11 PM, Mountain 10 PM, Pacific 9 PM, Alaska 8 PM, Hawaii 7 PM (Nov 18) |
| Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua | 12:00 AM CST, Nov 19 | Nov 19, 06:00 UTC | Cancún 1 AM; Baja California 10 PM Nov 18 |
Your region isn't listed? Its store page didn't show a time yet when this was reported. Check it again closer to launch rather than borrowing a neighbouring country's time.
What time does GTA 6 come out in the US?
The US PlayStation Store uses one time for the whole country: midnight Eastern. Preview report
| Time zone | Unlock time |
|---|---|
| Eastern (New York, Miami, Toronto) | 12:00 AM, Thursday Nov 19 |
| Central (Chicago, Dallas) | 11:00 PM, Wednesday Nov 18 |
| Mountain (Denver, Phoenix) | 10:00 PM, Wednesday Nov 18 |
| Pacific (Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver) | 9:00 PM, Wednesday Nov 18 |
| Alaska | 8:00 PM, Wednesday Nov 18 |
| Hawaii | 7:00 PM, Wednesday Nov 18 |
| Atlantic Canada / Newfoundland | 1:00 AM / 1:30 AM, Thursday Nov 19 |
What time does GTA 6 come out in the UK?
Midnight GMT on Thursday, November 19, according to the UK store listing. Preview report You may still see "5 AM UK" on other sites. That figure came from guesses about a single worldwide launch at 05:00 UTC, which the store listings don't support: 05:00 UTC is simply the US window.
What about Xbox?
Microsoft's store confirms November 19 but hasn't shown a country-by-country schedule the way PlayStation has. Expect a similar midnight pattern, and check the time shown on your own Xbox pre-order. Xbox download codes aren't region-locked, according to Rockstar, but that doesn't mean an Xbox order will unlock on another region's schedule. Confirmed
Pre-load: November 12
Digital pre-orders can start downloading at local midnight on Thursday, November 12, a full week early. Confirmed The physical Standard Edition also goes on sale on November 12, and it's a download code in a box, not a disc, so buyers can redeem it and start downloading the same day.
The final download size hasn't been announced. Clear plenty of storage before November 12 and start the pre-load as soon as it opens. For editions and pre-order bonuses, see our price and editions guide.
Can you play early with the "New Zealand trick"?
Not in any way we'd recommend. A PlayStation account's region can't be changed after it's created and should match its billing details, and Rockstar says PlayStation codes must match the account's region. Changing your console's clock doesn't move your unlock time. The few hours you'd gain aren't worth the risk to your account.
The real risk on launch night is spoilers: New Zealand and Australia will be playing while most of Europe and the Americas wait. Mute "GTA 6" keywords if you want to go in fresh.
Release time FAQ
What time does GTA 6 come out?
GTA 6 unlocks at midnight on November 19, 2026 in most PlayStation Store regions, based on the store's own listings. That means 12:00 AM ET in the US, 12:00 AM GMT in the UK and 12:00 AM CET in most of Europe. Rockstar hasn't published an official unlock table, so check your own store page in launch week.
What time does GTA 6 unlock in the US?
At 12:00 AM Eastern on November 19, which is 11 PM Central, 10 PM Mountain and 9 PM Pacific on November 18. The US store uses one nationwide time, so the West Coast gets it in the evening.
What time does GTA 6 unlock in the UK?
At 12:00 AM GMT on November 19, 2026, according to the UK PlayStation Store listing. Earlier estimates of 5 AM came from the idea of a single worldwide launch, which the store listings don't show.
Where does GTA 6 unlock first?
New Zealand, at midnight local time, which is 11:00 UTC on November 18. Mexico and Central America are last, 19 hours later.
When can I pre-load GTA 6?
Digital pre-orders can pre-load from local midnight on November 12, 2026, one week before launch. Physical Standard Edition boxes also go on sale November 12 and contain a download code rather than a disc.
Can I play GTA 6 early by switching to a New Zealand account?
Not safely. PlayStation account regions can't be changed after creation and must match your billing details, and PlayStation codes must match your account region. Changing your console clock does nothing.
Is the Xbox unlock time the same?
Probably similar, but Microsoft hasn't shown a country-by-country schedule yet. Check the time on your own Xbox pre-order in launch week.
Sources: regional PlayStation Store listings as reported in September 2026; Rockstar Support pages on pre-order details and editions and versions. We'll update this page if the store times change.