Grand Theft Auto VI players can begin preloading the long-awaited title on November 10, but preparing for launch may mean clearing several other games from their consoles.
The preload requires up to 212 GB, depending on the device. Digital buyers will have nine days to download the game before its November 19 release, giving those with slower internet connections additional time to prepare.
The game’s boxed editions will also require the substantial download. Retail buyers will receive codes rather than discs, leaving them without the lending and resale options traditionally associated with physical copies.
Preloading Starts Earlier Than Previously Listed
According to PlayStation’s official announcement, PS5 predownloads begin at midnight local time on November 10. Sony instructs players to clear at least 212 GB of storage.
Xbox owners follow a different schedule. As GamesRadar+ reports, Xbox Series X preloading begins globally at 12 a.m. GMT on November 10, corresponding to 7 p.m. Eastern on November 9.
That brings digital preloading forward two days from the November 12 date listed in some preorder documentation. Code-in-box versions for both consoles are still expected at retailers beginning November 12.
Jason and Lucia in GTA VI – Rockstar Games, YouTube
Preloading does not grant early access. Players can download the files ahead of time, but they must wait until November 19 to begin playing.
How GTA VI Compares To GTA V
The franchise’s history illustrates how dramatically its storage demands have grown.
When Grand Theft Auto V launched on PS3 and Xbox 360 in September 2013, it required a mandatory installation of approximately 8 GB. That represented only part of the game’s data, however. Rockstar’s installation guidance explains that Xbox 360 owners installed one disc and kept a second in the drive to play, while PS3 owners used a single Blu-ray.
Later editions demanded considerably more space. Rockstar’s original PC installation requirements specified 65 GB, with the physical edition spanning seven DVDs. Its current PC Enhanced requirements call for 105 GB of SSD space.
A screenshot from Grand Theft Auto VI (2025), Rockstar Games
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At 212 GB, GTA VI’s announced preload requirement exceeds twice that modern PC benchmark. Although the figures cover different platforms and storage requirements, the comparison underscores the scale of the new release.
The original PS5, meanwhile, offered approximately 667 GB of usable storage. A 212 GB allocation would consume nearly a third of that capacity, leaving substantially less room for the rest of a player’s collection.
The precise footprint may vary. Rockstar describes the preload as requiring up to 212 GB depending on the device, and the download size may differ from the final installation.
Does The Size Justify Skipping Discs?
A game this large presents a packaging challenge. Sony’s PS5 hardware FAQ confirms that PS5 game discs can hold up to 100 GB.
Distributing the full 212 GB unchanged would therefore require at least three such discs. That is a capacity calculation, however, rather than a confirmed disc count for a hypothetical release. Compression, platform differences, and the distinction between download and installation sizes could affect the requirements.
A multi-disc edition would add manufacturing and packaging demands. Still, the file size alone neither explains Rockstar’s decision to use codes nor establishes that a disc release would be technically impossible.
Scene from the launch trailer for GTA VI – Rockstar Games, YouTube
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Other publishers have accepted the complications of multi-disc releases. Square Enix shipped Final Fantasy VII Rebirth across two discs, while Larian’s Xbox Series X physical edition of Baldur’s Gate 3 shipped on four.
Discs would not eliminate the storage requirement. Games still need to be installed, and Sony’s guidance confirms that PS5 games run from console storage or a compatible M.2 SSD. A disc’s advantages include delivering game files without a full download and providing a physical copy that can be lent or resold.
A redeemed download code provides neither advantage. The case contains no playable game data to preserve, and buyers cannot pass the redeemed code to another player as they would a disc. Those with slow connections or restrictive data caps must still download the files.
The November 10 preload window gives digital buyers more time to prepare. It does little for customers who wanted a physical edition that actually contained the game.
Will you need to delete other games to make room for GTA VI’s 212 GB preload? Sound off and let us know!
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