GTA 6 Launch Times Are Already Leaving Gamers Concerned

4 days ago 5

Lucia boxing with gameplay from Grand Theft Auto 6 behind her.

Published Jan 30, 2026, 5:26 PM EST

Chris is a Gaming Editor at ScreenRant. He has been a professional writer since 2009, and has written for top TV, comics, movie, and video game outlets like Engadget, Polygon, Destructoid, and more. He brings with him an expertise in every game genre, no matter how niche or mainstream.

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Grand Theft Auto 6 is going to be a massive event for the entire gaming industry, even for studios that aren't named Rockstar. They'll have to navigate the entire 2026 holiday season around what could be the most successful game of all time.

But that launch date isn't the only concern gamers have. Over on Reddit, many GTA fans have voiced their concerns, and there's currently a debate about the best way to launch the game.

Will GTA 6 Launch At The Same Time Everywhere?

We're Waiting To Hear From Rockstar

Fans are torn over whether GTA 6 should launch at the exact same time for everyone worldwide. There are numerous concerns about going either way, including spoilers and FOMO. One commenter put it pretty succinctly how it could play out: "It should be released at midnight GMT. That's between 4pm-7pm in the US, and 10am-12pm in Australia and New Zealand. It's the least convenient for Europeans but the alternative was a midnight release anyways, so they aren't losing or gaining anything, but the rest of the world gets access at both a better time and at the same time."

New Zealand fans (who typically get game releases first) were pretty succinct, with one noting, "As someone from New Zealand, no," regarding the rest of the world getting the game at the same time. Others simply don't care: "I couldn't care less. I'm quite excited for the game and I might still take weeks if not longer to get to it. Don't let fomo run your life. There's so many amazing experiences out there to keep yourself busy with. The game isn't going anywhere once it drops."

Realistically, if any game could pull off a same-time launch, it's GTA 6. People will be staying home from work and school anyway, so it doesn't really matter what time it launches. That said, it could also crash every marketplace at once if GTA 6 is available on every platform simultaneously. Rockstar has a lot to ponder before it actually reveals its plans.

Fans Are Fearing GTA 6 Spoilers

Especially If The Game Is Leaked

As Grand Theft Auto players know, there's usually one massive spoilery death or event that happens in each individual game. If a region gets access before somewhere else, those moments could feasibly be leaked widely on social networks, where you can't avoid them. While this could also be the case if the game is leaked outright, there is a certain degree of uncertainty in that time period, and that skeptical vibe will help combat some major spoilers

As one fan put it: "There will definitely be insiders who get copies early, and a game being as big as this, it’s like Endgame or something alike where one would just have to stay off social media, turn off notifications...at that point, one should be fine."

If you're planning on picking up Grand Theft Auto 6 at some point, consider spoilers as part of those plans. They'll be unavoidable at that point, but depending on how Rockstar rolls out the game, they could be in a better spot.