We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
until GTA VI unlocks (midnight ET, Nov 19)

Unlock times by region
Times below are in UTC, as reported ahead of launch. They line up with midnight local time in each region.
| UTC time | Regions |
|---|---|
| Nov 18, 11:00 | New Zealand |
| Nov 18, 13:00 | Australia (east coast) |
| Nov 18, 15:00 | Japan, South Korea |
| Nov 18, 16:00 | Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore |
| Nov 18, 17:00 | Thailand, Indonesia |
| Nov 18, 18:30 | India |
| Nov 18, 20:00 | UAE |
| Nov 18, 21:00 | Saudi Arabia, Turkey |
| Nov 18, 22:00 | Finland, Romania, South Africa, Ukraine, Greece |
| Nov 18, 23:00 | Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and most of central Europe |
| Nov 19, 00:00 | UK, Ireland, Portugal |
| Nov 19, 03:00 | Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay |
| Nov 19, 05:00 | USA & Canada (midnight ET / 9pm PT Nov 18), Colombia, Peru, Ecuador |
| Nov 19, 06:00 | Mexico and Central America |
US time zones
| Zone | Unlock |
|---|---|
| Eastern | 12:00am Thu, Nov 19 |
| Central | 11:00pm Wed, Nov 18 |
| Mountain | 10:00pm Wed, Nov 18 |
| Pacific | 9:00pm Wed, Nov 18 |
Assumes a single North American unlock at midnight Eastern, which is how the reported schedule reads. We'll update this page the moment Rockstar or the stores confirm otherwise.
Don't lose launch night to a download
The game is up to 212 GB. If you haven't preloaded, start now. If it won't fit, see Will GTA VI fit? 212 GB — storage picks for PS5 and Xbox.
Quick answers
What time does GTA VI come out in the US?
GTA VI unlocks at midnight Eastern on Thursday, November 19, 2026 (05:00 UTC). On the West Coast that's 9pm Pacific on Wednesday, November 18.
What time does GTA VI release in the UK?
Midnight UK time on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
Is GTA VI a rolling midnight release?
Yes. Reported unlock times follow midnight local time region by region, starting with New Zealand on November 18 UTC.
Can I play GTA VI early with a VPN?
Regional unlocks are tied to your console's store region, and switching regions to play early can violate store terms. We don't recommend it.
Launch-week alerts
Unlock times, day-one patch size, and new guides the minute they drop. One email when it matters, no spam.