GTA 6 release time on PS5: when it unlocks in every region
GTA VI's digital PS5 version unlocks at midnight local time in most of the world, between November 18 and 19. Here's the full list of unlock times.
When exactly can you play GTA VI? The PlayStation Store listings already give it away: the digital PS5 version won't unlock simultaneously worldwide but at midnight local time in most countries, in a rolling launch that starts in New Zealand and ends in Central America. iGrandTheftAuto compiled the store times on September 7, 2026.
Unlock times by region
Unlock (UTC) | Local time | Regions |
|---|---|---|
11:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. NZDT | New Zealand |
13:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. AEDT | Australia (eastern states) |
15:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. local | Japan, South Korea |
16:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. (UTC+8) | Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan |
17:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. (UTC+7) | Indonesia, Thailand |
18:30, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. IST | India |
20:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. GST | UAE |
21:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. local | Saudi Arabia, Turkey |
22:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. (UTC+2) | Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Israel, Romania, South Africa, Ukraine |
23:00, Nov 18 | 12:00 a.m. CET | 19 Central European countries |
00:00, Nov 19 | 12:00 a.m. GMT | UK, Ireland, Portugal, Iceland |
03:00, Nov 19 | 12:00 a.m. local | Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay |
04:00, Nov 19 | 12:00 a.m. BOT | Bolivia |
05:00, Nov 19 | 12:00 a.m. EST | US, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru |
06:00, Nov 19 | 12:00 a.m. CST | Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua |
The exceptions
- In the US and Canada, the unlock follows Eastern midnight. That means the West Coast gets it on the evening of November 18, while Atlantic Canada unlocks at 1 a.m. (1:30 a.m. in Newfoundland).
- In Australia, states in other time zones, such as Western Australia, also get it on the evening of the 18th.
- A few Middle Eastern and Asian stores don't show a time yet, and in others (such as the Philippines or Russia) it isn't clear there's a local release at all.
Bear in mind that Sony or Rockstar can change these times before launch, and that this only covers PlayStation; Xbox unlock times need checking separately.
Our advice
If you've pre-ordered digitally, pre-loading starts November 12, so on launch night all you'll need to do is wait for the unlock. If you're still choosing an edition, here's what each one includes.
