Rockstar Games Sets Grand Theft Auto VI Launch Times

Rockstar Games has confirmed some details on the launch time on the release day of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, and it will launch adjacent to different time zones, rather than one single time for everyone.

The news (via IGN) shares that players around the world will be playing GTA VI at all different times, most notably New Zealand getting a near 20 hour head start before gamers in the Unites States and Mexico can join the fun.

A popular loophole for release date timings among gamers is the trick of setting your console time zone to New Zealand’s to get the game early. This cheat does not work on PS5 consoles, but it does work on Xbox, so expect some Series X|S players beating the system when launch day arrives.

The release is mostly at midnight per local time zones. So on Eastern Time in the United States, the game will unlock at exactly 12 AM and it will be different for almost all countries.

Grand Theft Auto VI will undoubtedly shatter records upon release, and fans wanting to play it early on PS5 consoles will simply have to be patient and try to avoid spoilers from New Zealand gamers, and those cheating the system, who get to try the game sooner than anyone.

What is also important to note is that GTA VI does not come with a disc. It is a digital-only release, so that means an early copy of the game won’t accidentally be sold at stores like GameStop or Walmart prior to launch. The fact that there is no physical version will help Rockstar avoid major leaks in the days leading up to launch.

Fans who have already pre ordered GTA VI will be able to pre-download the game several days early to have it ready to go the second the clock strikes midnight. There will be a serious test of patience for gamers outside New Zealand, and there is no doubt some loopholes will be exploited in order to experience what is considered to be the game of a generation.

Hayden Bird

Hayden Bird is an American writer and self-published author with several years of experience in both gaming journalism and writing novels. He lives in the great state of South Carolina and has been a writer his entire life, ever since early grade school. He used to write short-stories for his school bookfair and since then has spent the consecutive years building his writing skills and his portfolio.