Ahead of its official release on November 19, 2026, Rockstar’s upcoming blockbuster Grand Theft Auto 6 is already overwhelming the internet as players rush to pre-load the massive game. For the very first time, Rockstar is abandoning physical discs, meaning retail store purchases will simply include a digital code to download the game online. Because GTA 6 requires a hefty 212 GB of data, simultaneous downloads are straining global broadband infrastructure and pushing internet service providers to all-time usage records. Virgin Media O2 reported a 51.6 percent surge in internet traffic and a 73.3 percent rise in downloads, breaking records previously set during a major Arsenal Champions League match. Similarly, Ireland’s Internet Neutral Exchange saw traffic climb from its typical 9.53 petabytes to 12.53 petabytes. Alongside the bandwidth surge, the commercial demand is unprecedented, as GTA 6 has already generated over $1 billion purely from pre-orders, beating GTA 5’s record of reaching that figure three days post-launch. Out of the 9.69 million copies already pre-sold, PlayStation 5 holds a dominant 75 percent share while Xbox accounts for 25 percent, setting all-time pre-order records on both consoles. While console players gear up for launch day, PC gamers face a wait until early or mid-2027—barring any technical setbacks from Rockstar—which will likely cause another wave of heavy internet traffic. As the industry counts down to November 19, 2026, gamers with standard 10 Mbps internet speeds should plan ahead, as downloading the 212 GB file will take over 40 hours.
Before Even Launching, GTA 6 Breaks Every Pre-Load Record
