Grand Theft Auto 6 is now just few days away, and for anyone who has already paid for it, the countdown has moved from the calendar to the hard drive. Preloading is live on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S for preorder customers, so Rockstar’s long-awaited return to Vice City can be installed ahead of its November 19 launch and played the moment it unlocks.
The download is big. GTA 6 needs 212GB of free storage, so many players will have to clear space first. On an Xbox Series S, which has about 364GB of usable space, the game takes up well over half the drive. Even owners of a launch PS5 will likely need to delete a few older games before the download can start.
The size also helps explain one of the more contentious launch details: there is no disc. The “physical” edition is a box containing a download code for the PlayStation Store or Xbox Store. Anyone who ordered a boxed copy has to wait for it to arrive before preloading. At 212GB, the game wouldn’t fit on a single 100GB triple-layer Blu-ray anyway. Still, a shelf copy that is really a voucher will add to the debate over game ownership and preservation.
Pricing comes in two tiers. The Standard Edition costs $79.99, either digitally or boxed. GTA V launched at $59.99 in 2013, so the base price is $20 higher. The Ultimate Edition is $99.99 and sold digitally only. Boxed buyers can add a $20 upgrade that brings them to the same total.
The Ultimate Edition includes more than cosmetics:
- Vehicles: a ’95 Grotti Cheetah, a Vapid Dominator buggy with access to the Paradise Garage, and a Shitzu Squalo speedboat.
- Customization shops: two exclusive shops, Rideout Customs in Vice City and One-Eyed Willie’s in Lake Leonida.
- Classic Car Collection: a restoration side activity with four exclusive vehicles.
- Weapons: personalized pistols for protagonists Jason and Lucia.
- Robbery: a special robbery tied to the PTT Youngin$ Compound.
- Cosmetics: more than 50 exclusive tattoos and access to the Stock 305 streetwear store.
Putting a side activity and a robbery behind a $20 premium goes beyond typical deluxe-edition extras, and some players will object to it.
Buyers who don’t upgrade still get the Vintage Vice City Pack. It is free with any digital purchase made before November 20 and with physical preorders while supplies last. It adds a ’55 Vapid Stanier, a Shore Court Garage near Ocean Beach, retro outfits for both leads, and a tropical weapon pattern that nods to Tommy Vercetti.
With preloads live, launch-day bandwidth shouldn’t be the main bottleneck. The bigger question now is how much storage console players will have left once Leonida is installed.