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Home/Gaming & Entertainment

GTA 6: Release Date, Platforms, and Everything Actually Confirmed

Gaming & EntertainmentVideo Games
By The Gist Post·August 21, 2026·7 min read

Grand Theft Auto VI releases November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Here's what's officially confirmed about the date, the price in Canada, the setting and the story, and which rumours to ignore.

Neon-lit Vice City style street at dusk with palm trees and art-deco buildings
Neon-lit Vice City style street at dusk with palm trees and art-deco buildings

Grand Theft Auto VI launches on Thursday, November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar Games has confirmed the date, Canadian pricing ($109.99 for the Standard Edition, $139.99 for the Ultimate Edition), and the game's setting: a return to Vice City in the fictional state of Leonida. What Rockstar has not confirmed is an exact unlock time or a PC version, anything you read claiming otherwise is speculation.

After two delays and years of rumours, the picture is finally clear enough to plan around. Here's everything Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive have actually said, separated from the noise.

Key takeaways

  • GTA 6 releases November 19, 2026, a Thursday, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar has not confirmed an exact unlock time, so don't plan a midnight party around an unofficial countdown.
  • The date moved twice: originally targeted for 2025, then set for May 26, 2026, then pushed to November 19, 2026. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has stood by the November date publicly.
  • Canadian pricing is confirmed: $109.99 for the Standard Edition and $139.99 for the Ultimate Edition. Pre-orders opened June 25, 2026, and digital pre-loads begin November 12.
  • The setting is Leonida, a Florida-inspired state with Vice City at its centre. The protagonists are Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval.
  • No PC version has been announced, and there are no announced versions for PS4 or Xbox One. Treat any PC date you see online as a rumour.

When is GTA 6 coming out?

The short version of a long saga: GTA 6 is scheduled for November 19, 2026, and that date is currently printed on Rockstar's official channels. Here's how we got there:

Date announced

What was said

Source

December 2023

First trailer drops; game targeting 2025

Rockstar Games

May 2, 2025

First delay: new release date May 26, 2026

Take-Two Interactive

November 6, 2025

Second delay: new release date November 19, 2026

Rockstar Games

August 7, 2026

Take-Two reaffirms the November 19 date on its earnings call

Take-Two Interactive

Each delay came with the same explanation: Rockstar needed more time to deliver the level of polish players expect. After the second delay, Rockstar released Trailer 2 in May 2025 and began ramping up marketing through the summer of 2026, including an official "Extended Look" on August 27, 2026, built entirely from in-game PS5 footage. As of October 2026, there has been no announcement of a third delay.

That last point matters because a cottage industry of "delayed again" rumours has sprung up around every Rockstar earnings call. The honest framing, as one timeline tracker puts it, is this: there is currently no announced third delay, which is not the same as a guarantee the date can never move again. Rockstar has moved this date twice already, so the November date carries the full weight of official backing without being literally unchangeable.

Which platforms will GTA 6 be on?

At launch, GTA 6 is officially confirmed for three current-generation consoles:

  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox Series X
  • Xbox Series S

That's the complete list. Rockstar has not announced versions for PS4 or Xbox One, which makes GTA 6 a current-generation-only release, unsurprising given the scale of the game being built. Rockstar's support pages, updated in August 2026, confirm the game can currently be pre-ordered for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The PC question deserves its own paragraph because it's the most-searched GTA 6 question after the date. Rockstar has not announced an official GTA 6 PC release date or even confirmed a PC version exists. Historically, Rockstar has released some of its biggest games on PC after their console launches, which is why "early 2027" estimates circulate online, but those are estimates, not announcements. If you're a PC-only player, don't plan around an unofficial date.

How much does GTA 6 cost in Canada?

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Pricing was confirmed in June 2026 when pre-orders went live:

  • Standard Edition: $109.99 CAD (US$79.99)
  • Ultimate Edition: $139.99 CAD (US$99.99)

Pre-orders opened at midnight local time on June 25, 2026, at Canadian retailers including EB Games, Walmart and Amazon, as well as the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. Digital buyers can pre-load the game starting November 12, 2026, one week before launch, so it's ready the moment it unlocks.

A few practical details worth knowing before you buy:

  • The Standard Edition is the complete game. Nothing in the campaign is locked behind the higher tier. The Ultimate Edition adds in-game extras, vehicles, weapons, clothing, a mod shop, and two exclusive side missions, but Rockstar describes it as additional content rather than missing story.
  • Every pre-order (and every purchase before November 20) includes the Vintage Vice City Pack, a bonus bundle of '80s-styled outfits, a car, a garage and weapon skins. Digital pre-orders also get one month of GTA+.
  • The upgrade path is flat: if you buy Standard and later want the Ultimate content, the upgrade costs $20, the same as the gap between editions. There's no penalty for starting with Standard.
  • Physical copies contain a download code, not a disc. If you buy physical for resale or lending, that changes the math, the code is single-use.

What is GTA 6 about? The setting and story

Everything in this section comes from Rockstar's official trailers and announcements, not leaks.

The setting is Leonida, a fictional, Florida-inspired state with Vice City at its heart. Trailer 2 expanded the picture beyond the city to surrounding areas, suggesting a map that includes beaches, wetlands, and rural stretches alongside the neon of Vice City itself.

The protagonists are Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval, a criminal couple whose story the trailers frame in classic Bonnie-and-Clyde terms, two partners navigating the highs and lows of a life of crime together. It's the first time a Grand Theft Auto game has centred on a female protagonist.

Beyond that, Rockstar is keeping details close. The studio describes GTA 6 as a single-player experience and has not announced a launch date, entitlement model, or release schedule for any new online component. Trailer 2 hinted at side activities, fishing, dirt biking, jet skiing, kayaking, scuba diving, basketball and martial arts were all spotted, but Rockstar hasn't confirmed a feature list.

GTA 6: Release Date, Platforms, and Everything Actually Confirmed: What is GTA 6 about? The setting and story

What's confirmed vs. what's still a rumour

To keep this honest, here's the line between fact and speculation as of October 4, 2026:

Confirmed

Unconfirmed / rumour

November 19, 2026 release date (PS5, Xbox Series X

S)

A PC release date or PC version at all

May 26, 2026 was the previous date; 2025 the original target

A third delay pushing the game into 2027

$109.99 CAD Standard / $139.99 CAD Ultimate

Exact unlock time on launch day

Pre-load from November 12, 2026

Detailed map size, mission count or feature lists

Leonida setting; Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval as protagonists

Story specifics beyond what the trailers show

Physical box contains a code, not a disc

Leaked "collector's edition" contents and pricing

No PS4/Xbox One versions announced

Any Switch 2 version

Console games typically unlock at midnight local time, and countdown sites assume that, but Rockstar itself hasn't said, so treat any precise unlock time as a guess.

GTA 6: Release Date, Platforms, and Everything Actually Confirmed: What's confirmed vs. what's still a rumour

What happens between now and launch

With about six weeks to go, the remaining milestones are straightforward. Take-Two reaffirmed the November date at its August 7, 2026 earnings call, and the summer 2026 marketing campaign, trailers, cover art, the Extended Look, has been building toward a single week: pre-loads open November 12, and the game goes live November 19.

One context note for the holiday season: rival publishers have visibly cleared the runway. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (October 23) and Gears of War: E-Day (October 6) both launch well before November 19, and almost nothing major is dated for the two weeks after. If you're budgeting for holiday games, October is where the hard choices are, see our October 2026 video game releases roundup for the full calendar.

Sources

  • Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games announces GTA VI release date of May 26, 2026 (press release, May 2, 2025)
  • TalkEsport, Upcoming Video Game Release Dates 2026
  • MobileSyrup, How to pre-order GTA VI in Canada
  • MobileSyrup, Rockstar finally reveals how much GTA VI will cost
  • iPhone in Canada, Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders are now live for $109 in Canada
  • GamingMag, When Is GTA 6 Coming Out?
  • GameLuster, GTA 6 Release Date 2026: Confirmed Details
  • GTABOOM, GTA 6 Release Date and Delay History

About the author

TG

The Gist Post

Clear guides, practical explainers, and honest reviews across technology, programming, business, finance, investing, and everyday life.

Published August 21, 2026

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Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

01

Will GTA 6 come to PC?

Possibly, eventually, but Rockstar hasn't announced anything. Any specific PC date you see is speculation. Rockstar's history (delayed PC releases for its biggest titles) is the only basis for the "early 2027" estimates floating around.

02

What time does GTA 6 unlock on November 19?

Rockstar hasn't confirmed an unlock time. Console games usually unlock at midnight local time, but wait for an official announcement before planning around it.

03

Is there a GTA 6 multiplayer or online mode?

Rockstar describes the launch as a single-player experience and hasn't announced a launch-day online component, a date for one, or how it would work.

04

Can I still pre-order GTA 6 in Canada?

Yes. Pre-orders have been open since June 25, 2026, at EB Games, Walmart, Amazon, the PlayStation Store and the Xbox Store, starting at $109.99 CAD. Pre-ordering before November 20 gets you the Vintage Vice City Pack bonus.

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