Release
GTA 6 download time: slow internet can mean a week, as UK networks get ready
A study reported by IGN says a 2.8 Mbps line needs a week to download GTA 6. Openreach says its UK network is ready. If your internet is slow, pre-load now.
© Rockstar Games (opens in a new tab)If your internet is slow, start your GTA 6 pre-load now. A UK study by Broadband Genie, a broadband comparison site, says a connection at 2.8 Mbps or less needs a week to download the game, IGN reports. Openreach, which runs the UK’s largest broadband network, told Eurogamer it is ready and will be watching to see if GTA 6 sets a new download record.
How long the download takes
GTA 6 is a download of up to 212 GB, IGN notes. Broadband Genie looked at more than 17,000 recent speed tests made with its own tool. These are its numbers:
- 2.8 Mbps or slower: a week.
- 9.8 Mbps: two days.
By its count, 870,000 gamers in the UK could be waiting the full week. Newport came out worst: in 35% of the city’s tests, the speed was below 2.8 Mbps.
“On our radar for a long time”
“GTA 6 has been on our radar for a long time,” said Trevor Linney, Openreach’s director for network technology. He said a big release or update for games like Fortnite and Call of Duty can send huge amounts of data across the network. “Our network and teams are ready,” he added.
A spokesperson for Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, said broadband networks “should be well placed to handle this download,” Eurogamer reports. Under Ofcom’s Broadband Code of Practice, providers must guarantee a minimum speed. If you are not getting it, you may be able to leave your contract without a penalty.
Sony and Microsoft have also told players to pre-load early because of “unprecedented demand”, Eurogamer notes.
Ways to speed it up
Alex Tofts, a strategist at Broadband Genie, shared these tips with IGN:
- Connect your console with an Ethernet cable.
- On Wi-Fi, switch on your router’s faster 5 GHz band.
- Turn off phones, smart TVs, laptops and tablets you are not using, and remove devices you do not know from your router.
- Change your console’s DNS server to a fast public one, such as Google Public DNS.
- Let the download run in Rest Mode on PS5 or Sleep mode on Xbox.
When you can play
GTA 6 unlocks at midnight local time on November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, Rockstar Support says. Our pre-load guide shows how to start the download, and our FAQ explains how much space you need.