GTA 6 launches this Thursday — here’s everything you need to know

GTA 6 lands this Thursday, 19 November 2026. The clock’s ticking — if you pre-ordered, the pre-load opened on Tuesday on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Clear at least 210 GB on your console before midnight local time Thursday. No excuses — you’ll want to be ready the second it drops.

#Meet Jason and Lucia — your new crime partners

Vice City is back, bigger than ever, tucked inside the fictional state of Leonida. You play as Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style duo. Lucia? First playable heroine in the series.

Rockstar’s blurb: one easy job goes sideways, and suddenly you’re neck-deep in the dark side of America’s sunniest playground, tangled in a state-wide crime conspiracy.

#Price tag and how to grab it

Standard edition costs $80 — $10 more than the usual new-game price. The Ultimate Edition at $100 adds premium cars, weapons, outfits and story-specific extras for Jason and Lucia.

No discs this time. Physical copies come with a code inside the box — those went on sale 12 November to let you pre-load.

#Open-world freedom, as big as you want it

It’s a third-person action-adventure with a sprawling, ultra-detailed open world. On foot or behind the wheel, you can chase missions, explore the city and beyond, skydive, brawl, or pull off heists that bring the cops — and their reinforcements — down on you.

That’s the magic of GTA: every session can be whatever you fancy. Follow the story one night, cause chaos the next, or mix both. Bloomberg’s Cecilia D’Anastasio calls it pure escapism — a playground where you’re truly in control.

You can switch between Jason and Lucia, both fully customisable.

#Tune in — radio, podcasts and a killer soundtrack

Cruising with the radio is sacred in GTA. Expect a stacked licensed library: pop, country, hip-hop, Latin, rock, metal, hosted by real DJs like Bad Bunny and Lana Del Rey.

New for this one: you can tune into podcasts straight from your character’s phone.

The official soundtrack from French duo Justice drops 11 December. It’s 30 tracks strong, including the theme “Flower in a Hurricane” featuring Tame Impala, SZA and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

#Records smashed before launch

Sony and Microsoft confirm GTA 6 is the most pre-ordered game ever on PlayStation Store and Xbox Store.

For scale: GTA V, released in 2013, sold 235 million copies. The whole franchise now tops 480 million, Take-Two revealed in its autumn 2026 investor deck. The series started on PlayStation and PC back in 1997.

Parental note: this is hardcore stuff — violence, crime themes, not for kids.

No PC or Switch 2 version announced yet.