Grand Theft Auto 6 Release Time Revealed Ahead of Launch
Prior to its launch in November, Rockstar Games has revealed the specific time that Grand Theft Auto 6 will become available for players to dive into. With most video game launches, publishers tend to do one of two things. The first option sees games unlocking at a single time across the globe, regardless of time zone. The latter choice then results in games slowly becoming available in different regions, typically at midnight local, which leads to a slightly staggered release. And while fans have been wondering how Rockstar would end up handling GTA 6 before its arrival, we now seem to have our answer.
According to the PlayStation Store (via GTAVice), Grand Theft Auto 6 will have a staggered release on November 19th. This means that the game will initially become available at midnight local time in New Zealand, since it’s the first region around the globe that sees its calendar turn over to the following day. GTA 6 will then proceed to launch at midnight local time across Australia, Japan, Europe, and finally, the United States in the hours to follow. Such a move for Rockstar isn’t much of a surprise, but it does now officially rule out the potential for the game to release simultaneously around the globe.
This Release Strategy for GTA 6 Could Be Grueling for Millions
Since Grand Theft Auto 6 will be having a region-by-region release, this means that those in North America, in particular, may find it the most difficult to wait. By the time that GTA 6 finally arrives at midnight on November 19th in the United States, gameplay clips and potential story spoilers from the title could have already started appearing online due to its launch in other territories. This means that in order to go in completely fresh on GTA 6, many might have to steer clear of the internet for nearly a full day in advance, as those in New Zealand will get access to it well over 15 hours ahead of most U.S. states.
Still, it’s good that Rockstar has provided this information ahead of time, as it will allow the biggest Grand Theft Auto fans of all to be prepared to play the game late into the night when it rolls out. With this in mind, you’ll want to begin stocking up on Red Bull or coffee well in advance to ensure you can marathon GTA 6 once it unlocks.
As mentioned, Grand Theft Auto 6 will finally release near the end of this year on November 19th. Upon its release, the long-awaited sequel will only be playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S platforms, with plans for a PC version to come about in the future.