GTA 6 download time: How long will it take?

Start praying to the broadband gods, it’s a hefty game…

After 13 long years and a few painful pushbacks, we’re finally officially just one week away from GTA 6!

Leonida is ready to deliver the carnage and memorable hijinks like any GTA game, and you can get ahead of the release day by preloading the game now.

Getting it preloaded ready for the release day seems like it’ll be imperative, with the game’s download size expected to take up a big chunk of your console’s storage.

Of course, everyone won’t have the same broadband speed though, so how long it’ll take will depend on your speeds.

With that said, let’s take a look at what to expect for GTA 6 download times amongst a range of different broadband speeds.

How big is GTA 6?

Rockstar are yet to state an official figure for every platform, but with preloading now available as of 12am GMT on Tuesday 10th November, we have finally gotten a figure for both PlayStation and Xbox.

On PlayStation 5, the game clocks in at around 209.57GB to download and 212GB when fully installed.

For Xbox Series X|S players, you’re looking at a download size of 209.86GB and 225.34GB installed.

Why are there two different sizes?

If the difference in sizes seems odd, it is in fact perfectly explainable – it comes down to compression.

The first size is the file being downloaded, which comes compressed. The games files distributed via the digital storefronts are heavily compressed into archive packages, shrinking the data so it transfers faster over your internet connection.

Then you have the actual install size. Once the download is complete, your console then needs to unpack, decompress and write the files onto the internal SSD.

These packed files contain game assets such as high-res textures, 3D models, audio files and open-world data for Leonida. Suffice to say, these are important files.

GTA 6 download time: Why your broadband speed matters

Now the big question; how long will it take to download GTA 6. 

This comes down to your broadband speed. In everyday life, a good broadband speed can help with your daily scrolling, working and general online activities. But in the case of a large game download, your speeds become crucial.

210GB is a very substantial game size, and if your broadband isn’t up to scratch, you will need the extra preload days to get it on your console in time for the official release day.

Here’s roughly how long it could take to download GTA 6 on different broadband speeds:

Why the discrepancy in speeds?

The speeds are bearing in mind that you likely won’t get the full top-end speeds promised by your provider all throughout the download. 

Internet speeds fluctuate with real-world factors, such as scrolling social media and streaming TV shows and movies, both of which will take some of the bandwidth and deliver less than the fastest speed available.

So the estimates above show the ideal circumstances where you’re getting the full speeds promised on the quicker side, as well as the more likely real-world estimates, being represented by the higher number.

You’ll also notice that we’ve included providers along with some of the speeds, to help see and compare if you’re with any of the providers but to also identify what each has to offer. Be sure to read on to find out more.

Tips for a faster download

Where there are things that can affect your broadband speed and slow down your download time, there are methods you can employ that’ll help strengthen your connection:

• Use a wired Ethernet connection – Plug in an Ethernet cable so your console switches from a wireless connection to a wired one. This allows for maximum stability and speed
• Get closer to the router – If you don’t have an Ethernet cable, try to take your setup as close to the router as possible, moving any potential obstacles out of the way between the router and the console
• Pause other devices – Quit any running games, turn off anything being streamed, and definitely pause any other concurrent downloads
• Install on an SSD – Maybe a more drastic measure but a good method regardless. An SSD allows for your console’s system to unpack and write data faster than a standard mechanical hard drive.
• Download overnight – Probably the most simple method. Simply install outside of peak times, mainly while you sleep, so that the only device using any broadband is your console

The SSD method is a bit more of a drastic one and is the only tip that requires another purchase (except if you don’t have an Ethernet cable already, but those are fairly cheap off Amazon).

An SSD, or a Solid-State Drive, works quicker than a standard Hard Disk Drive (HDD), they use electronic flash memory with no moving parts, whereas HDDs rely on mechanical spinning magnetic platters and a moving read/write arm. For an SSD, storing data electronically means that it can find and store data almost instantly.

For Xbox Series S users in particular, purchasing a storage expansion card, which is the same as an SSD, is handy since GTA 6’s 225GB file size will take up over half of the console’s internal storage, so you’ll have a slightly faster download plus extra space for the rest of your games.

Upgrading your broadband

If you feel like it’s time for some faster speeds, why not check out the handy broadband comparison tool that finds a range of packages and speeds from multiple different providers that are available to your home.

Now’s the best time to make the switch as well, with many providers offering fantastic Black Friday offers, bringing the prices of their packages down plus extra incentives like free gift vouchers from some!