The anticipation among gamers for the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI is palpable, especially considering it marks the first major release in the series since 2013. Although the game has been delayed to May 26, 2026, which disappointed many fans, recent updates including the second trailer and new screenshots have rekindled excitement, potentially intensifying enthusiasm even further.
As of now, Rockstar Games has not disclosed any official details regarding the pre-order date or time for GTA 6. However, a closer look at the studio’s historical release patterns allows us to make educated guesses about when pre-orders might launch.
Exploring Speculated Pre-Order Dates and Times for GTA 6
Although the precise pre-order schedule remains unannounced, existing information indicates that the official GTA 6 release is set for May 26, 2026. To speculate on potential pre-order dates, we can examine the historical intervals between past game releases and their corresponding pre-order announcements.
For instance, Grand Theft Auto V, the last full installment in the series, originally aimed for a Spring 2013 release, expected around March to May. Its pre-orders opened on November 5, 2012, creating a gap of approximately four to five months from announcement to release.
Similarly, Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar’s prior release, came out on October 26, 2018, with pre-orders beginning on June 4 of that year, reflecting a comparable four-month lead time.
Considering these timelines and the confirmed release date for GTA 6, it is reasonable to conjecture that pre-orders could commence in early December 2025.
Regarding the time for potential pre-orders, an opening at 12 am local time across all regions is a possibility. Alternatively, Rockstar may opt for a 2 am PST start time, known to be when many GTA Online updates go live. Below is a breakdown of the anticipated pre-order times across various regions:
- US Pacific Time: 2:00 am PST
- US Mountain Time: 3:00 am MST
- US Central Time: 4:00 am CST
- US Eastern Time: 5:00 am EST
- Brazil: 7:00 am BRT
- United Kingdom: 10:00 am GMT
- Germany: 11:00 am CET
- Russia: 1:00 pm MSK
- UAE: 2:00 pm GST
- India: 3:30 pm IST
- Singapore: 6:00 pm SST
- China: 6:00 pm CST
- Japan: 7:00 pm JST
- Sydney, Australia: 9:00 pm AEDT
- Perth, Australia: 6:00 pm AWST
- New Zealand: 11:00 pm NZDT
It is essential to reiterate that these projections regarding the GTA 6 pre-order date and time are purely speculative at this stage. We await official confirmation from Rockstar Games.