Why is my GTA 6 pre-load not working?

What does PlayStation say to check on PS5?

PlayStation’s GTA VI support page, which we read on November 10, lists a pre-load checklist. Auto-download should be on: open Game Library, then Your Collection, select your pre-order and tick the box on the countdown timer. Also let the console stay online in rest mode (in Settings > System > Power Saving, under Features Available in Rest Mode).

Sony also says to put the console into rest mode before pre-load starts, check free space at Settings > Storage, and turn on automatic system software updates. If several people share the console, it says Console Sharing and Offline Play must be enabled, so other accounts can play.

The download isn’t starting. What now?

Sony’s steps, in order: check on the countdown timer that pre-load has started, and start it manually with the download option if not. If GTA VI is listed in Downloads/Uploads but not moving, open Downloads/Uploads in the control center, pick the download, then Pause and Resume.

If that fails, choose Cancel and Delete, go back to Game Library, pick GTA VI and turn auto-download on again. If it still won’t start, Sony says to check that you’re signed in to the account that pre-ordered (or redeemed the code), the console is online, there’s enough storage and system software is current.

What if I bought the boxed copy?

Sony’s page says the code-in-box version holds only a download code, no disc, and tells you to redeem it via your avatar, then Redeem Code. If the code is missing or unreadable, it points you to the retailer. Rockstar’s November 10 post says code-in-box buyers can activate the code and start pre-loading once they receive it. Our code-in-box redemption guide covers that route.

Is it just that pre-load hasn’t opened for you yet?

Unlikely now. Rockstar’s November 10 post says everyone with a digital pre-order can now pre-load. Its November 3 schedule was midnight local time on November 10 for PS5 and 12 a.m. GMT that day for Xbox: 7 p.m. EST or 4 p.m. PST on November 9 in the US, by our arithmetic. Our pre-load guide has the full picture.

What about Xbox?

We found no GTA VI-specific Xbox steps, so these are Microsoft’s general ones from Xbox Support, read on November 10. Its install guide says a purchased game installs automatically when the console is your home Xbox, is on or in Sleep power mode, is online and has enough storage. In the queue (My games & apps > Manage > Queue) you can pause, cancel, or pick Install now to move a game up.

For a stalled download, Microsoft suggests quitting any running game (background downloads are held back while you play), restarting the console, resuming the install if it shows Queued or Paused, and testing your network. Applying these steps to GTA VI is our reading.

Rockstar’s announcement points to Rockstar Support for how to pre-load on both consoles, but its GTA VI articles wouldn’t load for us on November 10. PlayStation’s page sends gameplay issues, patches and bugs to Rockstar Support, and download, code and installation issues to PlayStation Support.

What we don’t know yet

We haven’t seen an official notice of store or server problems slowing pre-loads, though we didn’t track the PlayStation and Xbox status pages. We also don’t know how much a day-one update will add.