What Time Does GTA 6 Come Out? Unlock Time in Every Country
Updated October 29, 2026: unlock times checked against the PlayStation Store rollout. We will update this page if Rockstar or Xbox announce a different schedule.
GTA 6 comes out on November 19, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It does not unlock at the same moment everywhere. On PlayStation the game follows a rolling midnight local time release, so New Zealand gets in first and the Americas get in last. The full spread from the first region to the last is about 19 hours.
Below is the unlock time for every major region, plus what it means in US and India time, so you know exactly when to stay up.
GTA 6 unlock time by region (PS5)
| Region | Local unlock | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 11:00 AM, Nov 18 |
| Australia (east coast) | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 1:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| Japan, South Korea | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 3:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 4:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| Indonesia, Thailand | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 5:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| India | 12:00 AM IST, Nov 19 | 6:30 PM, Nov 18 |
| UAE | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 8:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| Saudi Arabia, Turkey | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 9:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| Finland, Greece, Romania, South Africa, Ukraine | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 10:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| Central Europe (Germany, France, Spain, Italy) | 12:00 AM CET, Nov 19 | 11:00 PM, Nov 18 |
| UK, Ireland, Portugal | 12:00 AM GMT, Nov 19 | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 |
| Brazil, Argentina, Chile | 12:00 AM, Nov 19 | 3:00 AM, Nov 19 |
| US and Canada | 12:00 AM ET, Nov 19 | 5:00 AM, Nov 19 |
| Mexico and Central America | 12:00 AM CST, Nov 19 | 6:00 AM, Nov 19 |
What time does GTA 6 unlock in the US?
In the US, the PS5 version unlocks at midnight Eastern Time for the whole country, not at midnight in each time zone. That means:
- Eastern (ET): 12:00 AM, Wednesday November 19
- Central (CT): 11:00 PM, Tuesday November 18
- Mountain (MT): 10:00 PM, Tuesday November 18
- Pacific (PT): 9:00 PM, Tuesday November 18
So if you live on the West Coast, you can start playing on the evening of November 18.
What time does GTA 6 unlock in India?
In India, GTA 6 unlocks at 12:00 AM IST on November 19, the moment Tuesday night turns into Wednesday. That is 6:30 PM UTC on November 18. Indian players get the game well before players in Europe and the US.
Will Xbox unlock at the same time?
Rockstar has confirmed the November 19 date for both consoles, but the region-by-region table above comes from the PlayStation Store rollout. Xbox usually also unlocks at midnight local time, but Microsoft has not published a GTA 6 schedule yet. You may have seen claims that switching your Xbox region to New Zealand lets you play early. That trick is not confirmed by Microsoft or Rockstar. Changing your console region can also affect your store, payment methods and subscriptions, so it is not worth the risk for a few hours.
Pre-load first so you can play the second it unlocks
The unlock time only matters if the game is already on your console. GTA 6 pre-loading opens on November 12, one week before launch, for both digital pre-orders and boxed copies (which contain a download code, not a disc). Read our GTA 6 pre-load guide for the steps, and check the GTA 6 file size so you clear enough space in time.
Tips to avoid spoilers before your region unlocks
- Players in New Zealand and Australia will be playing up to 19 hours before the US. Mute words like “GTA 6”, “Jason”, “Lucia” and “Leonida” on X, Reddit and YouTube until you start.
- Turn off YouTube notifications for gaming channels on November 18 and 19.
- Stay off the GTA 6 subreddit and Discord servers until you finish the opening missions.
FAQ
What date does GTA 6 come out?
GTA 6 releases on November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Does GTA 6 release at midnight?
Yes. On PS5 it unlocks at midnight local time in each region. In the US and Canada it unlocks at midnight Eastern Time for everyone.
Can I play GTA 6 early?
No official early access has been announced. Pre-loading lets you download the game from November 12, but you cannot start it before your region unlocks.
Is GTA 6 out on PC at launch?
No. The launch is console only. See is GTA 6 on PC for what Take-Two has said.
Sources: Rockstar Games launch announcement (release date and platforms); PlayStation Store regional rollout as compiled by AllThingsHow; VGC (pre-load and physical edition).