The 212GB game has driven a surge in broadband consumption across the UK and Ireland ahead of its <a href="https://comicvibe.com/hyderabad-cosplay-masterclass-on-november-15/” title=”Hyderabad Cosplay Masterclass on November 15″>November 19 release, with pre-orders reportedly generating over $1 billion.
MC Tech Desk
November 13, 2026 / 09:33 IST
GTA VI launch
Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) has become a major pre-loading window opened on November 10, allowing customers to download the title ahead of its November 19 release. The simultaneous downloads have pushed internet consumption to new highs, with telecom operators reporting records across parts of Europe
GTA 6 downloads drive record internet consumption
The game requires up to 212GB of storage and will not be sold on physical discs. Even customers purchasing boxed editions will receive a digital download code, meaning players will need an internet connection to install the title.
The scale of downloads has been reflected in figures shared by UK telecom operator Virgin Media O2. It recorded a 51.6% increase in internet traffic between midnight and 1 am. By 9 am, downloaded data volumes were 73.3% higher than at the same time during the previous week.
The operator’s daily data consumption record was also surpassed by 11:05 pm. Traffic generated by GTA 6 downloads exceeded the previous evening peak recorded during an Arsenal Champions League match. It also overtook the daily record associated with a major Fortnite update.
Ireland experienced a similar spike. Internet Neutral Exchange recorded daily data traffic of 12.53 petabytes, against its usual average of 9.53 petabytes.
GTA 6 pre-orders reportedly generate over $1 billion
The demand for the game is also reflected in pre-order estimates. GTA 6 has reportedly received around 9.69 million pre-orders worldwide, generating more than $1 billion in sales before launch.
PlayStation accounts for approximately 75% of these orders, with more than 7 million copies, while Xbox makes up the remaining 25%. Sony and Microsoft have confirmed that GTA 6 is the most pre-ordered game on their respective digital stores.
How long will GTA 6 take to download?
The 212GB download could take around nine and a half hours on a 50Mbps connection. Players with a 10Mbps connection may have to wait more than 47 hours.
Virgin Media O2 CTO Jeanie York said nearly half of players are expected to download the game before launch, with some planning time off work to play it.
GTA 6 launches on November 19 for consoles.
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first published: Nov 13, 2026 09:33 am
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