GTA 6 Is Due on 19 November, and UK Broadband Is Getting Ready

Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to arrive on Thursday, 19 November. It has also become the most pre-ordered game in the history of the Xbox Store and the PlayStation Store, according to Eurogamer. A pre-order is a reservation made before release, which secures a copy and usually starts a download.

A game this large is a big file. When it lands on launch day, millions of home connections could be asked to carry it at once. That is why the internet companies in the UK are paying attention.

Openreach runs the largest broadband network in the UK. Its director for network technology, Trevor Linney, told Eurogamer that the game has been on the company's radar for a long time. He said Openreach's network and teams are ready for it. He also said GTA 6 is one the company will be watching for a new download record.

The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has also weighed in. An Ofcom spokesperson said broadband networks should be well placed to handle the download.

The platform holders are asking players to plan ahead too. Sony and Microsoft, which run the PlayStation and Xbox storefronts, have advised players to download GTA 6 ahead of time. They say this will help avoid complications caused by demand they describe as unprecedented. A storefront is the digital shop where console owners buy and download games.

For most players, the practical step is simple. Start the download before launch day, rather than waiting until 19 November to begin. That way, the game is ready to play when the doors open, and the servers and networks have one less rush to handle at once.

The date itself is the headline. The game is set for Thursday, 19 November, and the advice from the platforms and the network operators points in the same direction: download early, and expect a busy week for the internet.