Now that the GTA 6 release date is set in stone, we can start worrying about the exact time the juggernaut crime sandbox will become available. Some detectives have dug through data on the game to find out when each territory can jump in, and as you might expect, fans down under should be getting a head start.
The outlet GTA Vice put together a full breakdown of the times by country and region, using timestamps from the PS Store to extrapolate the global launch. If you want to be among the first people to gallivant through Leonida, you’ll need to head toward New Zealand or Australia.
The former is first up, getting it a good 13 hours before Britain, and 18 hours before the east coast of the US of A. That’s a solid head start on one of the most anticipated games ever made, and I wouldn’t put it past some particularly eager fans to migrate just for the sake of an extra half a day’s gameplay.
The last region to get access to Grand Theft Auto 6 will be Mexico, lagging just behind the United States. Mexican and American players will need to cover their ears for the last day ahead of launch to protect from spoilers, since you can do a lot in 18 hours, and I suspect many won’t be sleeping much during this time.
This is all assuming Rockstar sticks to a staggered schedule. The company employed one for Red Dead Redemption 2, but eschewed it for GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.
I would say it’s likely this turns out to be close to the truth. It gives Rockstar time to ensure the infrastructure can handle the millions of players who’ll be downloading the game and getting into it, and lets anticipation build across social media. And it’s nice to give Australia and New Zealand a bit more excitement, as well.