GTA 6 arrives on 19 November 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and the first hours are about three things: setting up your console, getting to know Jason and Lucia, and learning the systems Rockstar has described so far. There is no PC version announced.
Before you start playing
A few jobs are worth doing before launch day.
- Pick an edition. The Standard Edition is the full game. The Ultimate Edition adds named story items such as the '95 Grotti Cheetah and the Hawk & Little Morgan Revolvers, and Rockstar says Standard owners can buy the Ultimate Edition Upgrade later. Purchases made before 20 November 2026 also get the Vintage Vice City Pack. The editions breakdown lists everything.
- Clear storage. PlayStation tells PS5 players to clear at least 212GB. The storage guide explains what that figure does and does not mean.
- Pre-load. Pre-load opened on 10 November for digital pre-orders, at midnight local time on PS5 and at 12 a.m. GMT on Xbox Series X|S. It only downloads the game. Boxed copies hold a download code rather than a disc. Follow the pre-load steps.
- Check your start time. The game releases at midnight local time on 19 November on both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S (Rockstar Support). Xbox Cloud Gaming starts at 1 a.m. ET. The start time tool shows it for your region.
Meet Jason and Lucia
You play two leads. Rockstar says Jason Duval grew up around grifters and crooks, spent time in the Army and now works for local drug runners in the Leonida Keys. Lucia Caminos was taught to fight by her father, ended up in Leonida Penitentiary and wants the good life her mother has dreamed of since their days in Liberty City. Both are playable, and the character switching guide covers how you move between them. Full profiles are on the characters page.
What to expect in the first hours
Most of what is known about how the game plays comes from Rob Nelson of Rockstar North, who described a pre-release build to Famitsu, and from Edge's demo preview. Together they point to a few habits worth building early.
- Think in chapters. The story runs in chapters, and your hideouts change with them. The first is in the Leonida Keys. Areas around hideouts are safe zones where you cannot steal cars.
- Earn money in the open world. Nelson says missions alone do not pay enough to move the story forward. Robbing shops, selling stolen cars and similar side work fill the gap. Start with the money guide.
- Remember that crimes need witnesses. A wanted level starts when someone sees you, and police then search by clothing, appearance and vehicle. Changing clothes or dropping a weapon helps you slip away. The wanted level guide has the details.
- Register the cars you want to keep. Registered cars start with three storage slots, and you buy garages around the map for more. See cars and garages.
- Look after your body. The game tracks health, cardio and fitness. Gym workouts and food both change your stats, and your relationship status with the other lead shows in game next to your bank balance.
Tune your console
PS5 players get DualSense haptics, adaptive triggers, the controller speaker, Tempest 3D Audio and fast SSD loading, and the PS5 Pro adds PSSR image clarity and ray-traced shadows. Rockstar says the game targets 30 frames per second on current-generation consoles, so read the settings guide for what to check on your console.
Tools worth opening early
- The interactive map shows the six regions of Leonida.
- The mission tracker saves your progress in your browser.
- The collectibles tracker will hold locations as they are found.
- The cheats page tracks codes, and the trophies page tracks the list.
What is not announced yet
Rockstar has not published a mission list, a trophy list or any cheat codes. Once the game is out, this page will add a suggested route through the first hours, with the first story missions linked from the walkthrough.