GTA 6 Won’t Release Simultaneously—New Zealand Residents Get It First

There are just over two months left until the launch of GTA 6, the most anticipated game of the year, and new details keep surfacing. A recent report confirms players in New Zealand will actually get access to the game before anyone else.

According to GTAVice.net, which analyzed PlayStation Store data, New Zealand residents will be the first to unlock GTA 6, at 11:00 UTC on November 18. Australian players follow at 13:00 UTC, with Japan and South Korea getting access two hours after that. UK and Irish players will be able to jump in on November 19 at exactly 00:00 UTC, with US players following at 5:00 UTC. Contrary to earlier speculation, the game won't launch simultaneously worldwide, which could have implications for spoilers online, given that some regions get early access.

GTA 6 is NOT releasing simultaneously worldwide.

New Zealand gets the game 18 hours before the U.S.

Players have also noticed a workaround on Xbox: switching your console's time zone to New Zealand lets you play the game early, regardless of where you actually are. On PlayStation, that trick doesn't work the same way, you'd need to set up a brand-new account, repurchase the game in New Zealand currency, and set New Zealand as your region in the settings.

For now, you can also find out everything we know about GTA 6 so far—the story, gameplay, map, open world, platforms, and more - as well as how GTA 6 is reshaping the 2026 game calendar and everything about GTA 6 pre-order details: price, bonuses, exact time, and Ultimate Edition.

Grand Theft Auto VI will release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.