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GTA 6 Everything
ConfirmedDifficulty: EasyPlatform: PS5, Xbox Series X|SUpdated

GTA 6 beginner’s guide: what to know before you start

The useful pre-launch checklist: when it unlocks, what to buy, who you play as, where it is set, and how to tell good information from noise.

Jason rides a dirt bike with Lucia on the back aiming a pistol as a police car closes in© Rockstar Games
Quick answerConfirmed

GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S; pre-order digitally and you can pre-load from November 12. Boxed copies hold a download code, not a disc. You play as Jason and Lucia in Vice City and the state of Leonida, and it is single-player at launch.

Updated

Step by step

  1. Get it installed early

    Digital pre-orders can pre-load from November 12, a week before launch. Boxed copies contain a download code rather than a disc, so you will be downloading either way.

    Tip. Buy before November 20 and you get the Vintage Vice City Pack, whichever edition you choose.

  2. Pick your edition

    The Standard Edition is $79.99. The Ultimate Edition, $99.99 and digital only, adds vehicles, weapons, outfits and side content. You can upgrade later if you change your mind.

  3. Know who you play as

    Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, both playable; Kotaku’s breakdown of An Extended Look describes control switching between them. Rockstar has also profiled six supporting characters, from Brian Heder in the Keys to the bank robber Raul Bautista.

  4. Know the map

    Vice City is the main city in the state of Leonida, alongside five other regions: the Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia and Mount Kalaga National Park.

  5. Learn to spot unverified information

    If a claim about map size, mechanics, vehicles or money methods does not trace back to Rockstar, Take-Two or a platform store, treat it as unverified. Every page here says which it is.

    Tip. Every page carries a confidence label. “Confirmed” means it traces to official material.

Things to know

  • Single-player at launch: no online mode has been announced.
  • No PC version has been announced. GamesBeat reported on October 13, 2026, citing anonymous sources, a PC release in early 2027, which Rockstar and Take-Two have not confirmed.
  • Guides claiming tested money methods before launch have not tested anything.

Frequently asked

What should I know before playing GTA 6?

It unlocks November 19, 2026 (pre-load from November 12 if you pre-ordered digitally), you play as Jason and Lucia, and it is single-player at launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Players also ask

Sources and verification

Written and maintained by GTA 6 Everything Editorial · Editorial team

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