What time does GTA 6 unlock? Release time in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and the rest of the world

Grand Theft Auto VI can be played from Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Most stores unlock it at midnight, local time: in mainland Spain, it will be 12:00 AM on Thursday, November 19. Rockstar has only officially confirmed the day, not the time; the schedules come from the PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store listings, which is why some media outlets publish different figures.

Unlock Schedule by Country

These are the schedules shown by most store listings and specialized guides (local midnight in each region):

Why Do Some Media Outlets Say a Different Time?

Some Latin American media outlets have published a staggered and simultaneous unlock (for example, Mexico at 6:00 AM, Colombia at 7:00 AM, and Argentina at 9:00 AM on the 19th). This model, where everyone starts at the same time, is sometimes used in games with online servers. Rockstar has not confirmed this for GTA 6, and the game arrives focused on single-player mode, which usually unlocks at local midnight.

Our advice: open the game's listing in your store (PlayStation Store or Microsoft Store) from your console: the countdown that appears there is the one that applies to your region. If anything changes, we will update this guide.

How to Be Ready to Play in the First Minute

1. Preload the game now. Early download is open since November 10 for those who have purchased it digitally or have the code from the box.
2. Leave enough space. Rockstar talks about up to 212 GB. On an original PS5 (825 GB), there are about 667 GB of usable space, so GTA 6 takes up almost a third.
3. Leave your console in rest mode with download updates enabled. On launch day, a small patch arrives that unlocks the files.
4. Check your connection to PlayStation Network or Xbox Live that night: with millions of players at the same time, the stores' servers usually go slow in the first hour.

And on PC?

There is no announced PC version. A GamesBeat report points to the first quarter of 2027, but Rockstar has not confirmed it. We explain it in detail in our guide to GTA 6 on PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play earlier if I preload? No. Preloading only downloads the encrypted files; they are unlocked at your region's time.

If I change my account region, can I play earlier? It's possible in some cases, but it can cause problems with purchases and updates. We don't recommend it.

Does the physical edition unlock at the same time? Yes. The box comes with a download code, not a disc, so it works the same as the digital version.