One thing about GTA 6 - it won't come on a disc. Instead, players must pull it down from the internet. Because of its size, network specialists say the process might stretch out for hours.
With GTA 6 launching in November, TechRadar checked in with experts who know Wi-Fi inside out. Not good news if your internet drags - loading the whole thing might stretch past a full day, even on typical household plans.
Word hasn't come straight from Rockstar about how big the download will be. Still, judging by what's already shown - a sprawling map unlike anything they've made, packed with detailed visuals and full voice acting - guesses point to massive. The last Red Dead needed nearly 150GB on disk. This time around? Bigger seems likely.
Seven hours. That is how long it takes to download a 150GB game using a 50Mbps internet speed. When the file size jumps to double, so does the time - now fourteen hours stretch ahead. But when release day hits, servers groan under millions doing the same thing at once, slowing everything down even more.
Starting November 12, players who've bought ahead of time get access to download the title early - seven full days before release. Come November 19, everything fires up right when the clock hits zero.
Buying on release day means the game begins downloading right after payment. How fast it finishes? That hinges on your connection plus server load at that moment. Beat your friends to playtime? Only if your setup handles traffic better than theirs.
Before November 19 rolls around, test how fast your internet really is. Your console needs room - so clear out some storage space sooner rather than later. When the signal crawls, jumping in early might save you headaches. Grabbing a pre-order could open doors to downloading ahead of time.
Soon, the game will arrive. If it works when you need it hinges entirely on what you do today.