There is not much to prepare for a game nobody has played, and most "prepare for GTA VI" advice is filler. These are the few decisions that are actually real.
Worth deciding
Which console
It launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only. If you play mainly on PC, the honest answer is that there is no announced date, and buying a console for it is a decision to make on its own terms.
Free up the space
Rockstar has not published an install size. Recent Rockstar releases have been large enough that clearing a slot in advance is sensible; guessing a number is not.
Decide how much you want spoiled
Launch week for a game this size means the story leaks into every feed. If you care, mute the obvious terms before the 19th rather than after.
Editions, and the one thing worth knowing
💵 Standard — $79.99
The base game. There are only two editions; no collector's or special edition exists.
💎 Ultimate — $99.99
The base game plus its bonus content.
🎁 Pre-order bonus
Pre-ordering either edition includes the Vintage City pack at launch. Pre-orders opened on 25 June 2026.
⏭️ You can upgrade later
The Ultimate content can be unlocked at any point after release, so paying the extra $20 now buys nothing you can't buy in December.
What we'll add on launch day
- A mission-by-mission walkthrough, written from a playthrough rather than a trailer.
- Real collectible trackers, once there is something confirmed to collect.
- The map filled in with what is actually there, region by region.
- Vehicle, weapon and business lists — all of it verified in game before it is published.
A note on the date
19 November 2026 is the third date this game has had. It was aimed at 2025, moved to 26 May 2026, and then moved again to November. That history is worth holding lightly rather than cynically: Rockstar has hit its last few announced dates once they were close, and we are now inside ten weeks. But if you are planning time off around it, plan it after the game is in your hands rather than before.