GTA 6 release time is midnight local in each country

3DJuegos, a Spanish games outlet, puts the unlock on Thursday, November 19 at 00:00 Spanish time. Atomix credits Rockstar Games' official site and words it as 12:00 AM on November 19 in each region's time zone.

Atomix puts Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Cuba, Panama, Venezuela, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile on the same local hour. In all of them the clock reads 00:00 for their own country.

The GTA 6 listing on PlayStation Store Mexico says the game becomes available at 00:00 on November 19, central Mexico time, according to La Verdad Noticias. If you have the game downloaded, you can start the moment Wednesday night ends.

Rockstar confirms November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and each digital store shows the schedule for its own region.

New Zealand unlocks at 00:00 local, which is 05:00 on Wednesday morning in Mexico City, per La Verdad Noticias. 3DJuegos puts that lead over Spain at 12 hours. Australia and Japan will also get in before much of the Americas and Europe.

For perspective, New Zealand's 12-hour lead over Spain is almost double the seven hours between Spain and central Mexico.

Mexico spans more than one time zone, and La Verdad Noticias gives two examples. Tijuana unlocks at 22:00 on Wednesday and Cancún at 01:00 on Thursday.

If you play outside the capital, check your store listing and your account's regional settings before you plan a session with friends.

Whoever plays later will see other people's videos first. 3DJuegos recommends muting the topic on social media a day before launch, and La Verdad Noticias adds muting game-related words and skipping streams from people who already have the game: a thumbnail can reveal details about Jason and Lucia.

The preload starts on November 12 at 00:00 local, according to Rockstar, and it won't let you play before your country's hour. Atomix reportedly places it on November 10, but Rockstar's date is the 12th. Install early so you reach Vice City in the first minute.

Atomix credits Rockstar's official site for the time, but the only concrete listing cited is PlayStation Store Mexico. The Xbox listing is still to be seen.

The next clue comes with the preload on November 12 at 00:00 local. That day, check your store listing and note the exact hour for your region.

What time does GTA 6 come out in Spain?

At 00:00 on Thursday, November 19, 2026, Spanish time, according to 3DJuegos.

What time does GTA 6 come out in Mexico?

At 00:00 on November 19, central Mexico time, per the PlayStation Store Mexico listing that La Verdad Noticias cites. In Tijuana it's 22:00 on Wednesday and in Cancún 01:00 on Thursday.

Can you play GTA 6 during the preload?

No. The preload starts on November 12, but the game stays locked until your country's hour, according to La Verdad Noticias.