GTA VI may need 210GB on PS5, raising download questions for NBN users
TechRadar reports GTA VI could weigh 210GB on PS5 ahead of its November 19 launch, prompting questions about home broadband download times.
According to TechRadar, Rockstar's long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI is set to launch on November 19, roughly three weeks away. TechRadar's report, which cites GamesRadar, says the game could take up 210GB on PS5, about double the size of GTA V. The article frames the launch around a practical question for players: whether their home internet connection can handle a download of that scale in a reasonable time.
TechRadar also reports that Rockstar has confirmed even physical copies of the game will include a download. That means buyers of a disc may still need to fetch a large file before they can play, rather than simply inserting the disc and starting. The piece is aimed at readers in Australia, where the National Broadband Network, known as the NBN, delivers home internet across a range of speed tiers.
The article is written for people who have preordered the game or plan to buy it, and it suggests they check their connection before launch day. The per-speed timings promised in the headline are not reported in this article, so no specific estimates are offered here.
Coverage at this stage rests on a report that relies on another outlet's findings. Until the publisher releases official figures for file size and any preload arrangements, the 210GB number should be treated as a reported expectation rather than a confirmed specification.
Background
The NBN is Australia's national wholesale broadband network, and internet plans sold over it come in different speed tiers. Households on lower tiers can take much longer to download large files than those on faster plans, and real-world speeds often fall below the advertised maximum because of network congestion, Wi-Fi limits and the capacity of the home router.
Modern video games have grown steadily in size as graphics, audio and open-world maps have become more detailed. Many titles are now sold digitally and delivered entirely through online downloads, and console platforms have increasingly used a download step even for physical releases. Disc-based games often contain only part of the data, with the rest downloaded during setup or on first launch.
Publishers often allow players to download a game before its release date so the file is ready when the store unlocks. This practice, usually called preloading, spreads out the demand on servers and helps avoid crashes on launch day. Whether a particular publisher offers preloading, and when, is a decision that each company makes for its own titles.
Storage space is a related concern. A single large game can take up a substantial share of the internal drive on a console, and players often need to delete other titles or add external storage to install it. The size of a download also affects data caps on some internet plans, which is a consideration for households that monitor their monthly usage.
Rockstar's earlier titles have been among the most widely downloaded games of their generation, so the scale of the new release is a recurring topic whenever a major launch approaches. Any figure for a new game's size is typically provided by the publisher or estimated by outlets, and it can change between announcement and release as final builds are completed.
Why it matters
For many players, the download is now as important as the purchase. A game that takes many hours to install can delay a first session, and that gap affects the experience of people who want to play close to launch. Households with shared connections may also find that a large download slows other activities such as video calls, streaming or work.
The story also highlights a broader shift in how physical media works. Buyers who pick up a disc may expect a complete product, but a required download changes that assumption. Clear labeling at the point of sale helps people understand what they are buying and how much time they should set aside before playing.
For the wider games industry, a file of this size puts pressure on infrastructure. Platform operators, publishers and internet providers all share responsibility for making sure large releases arrive without bottlenecks. How smoothly the launch goes will shape expectations for future blockbuster releases.
Finally, the story underlines the gap between headline figures and everyday experience. Advertised speeds, theoretical file sizes and actual download times can differ widely. Readers who plan ahead, check their plan and understand their storage limits are better placed to enjoy the game on launch day.
What to watch
The first thing to watch is whether Rockstar or the platform holders confirm the final file size. Official figures will carry more weight than estimates, and any change would affect download planning for players.
Next, look for details on preloading. If the game can be downloaded before November 19, many players will be able to avoid launch-day congestion. The timing of any preload window will be an important signal for how the publisher expects demand to spread.
Watch also for retailer information about physical copies. Clear descriptions of what is on the disc and what must be downloaded will help buyers decide whether to choose a digital or physical edition.
Finally, keep an eye on reports from players after launch. Real-world download speeds and experiences on different connections will show how well the planning has worked.
Viewpoints
Commentary from our columns: three angles on this story.
The User what changes for people who use it
For most people, the biggest change here is not the price or the content but the waiting. A game that asks for a very large download before it will start turns a simple evening into a planning exercise. You have to think about storage, your internet plan and whether anyone else in the house needs the connection that night.
That is not a small thing for households with modest plans or shared Wi-Fi. A download that runs for hours can slow video calls, streaming and work. People who live with data caps have an even sharper reason to pay attention, because a large file can quietly eat into a monthly allowance.
The disc question is also worth thinking about. Many buyers assume a physical copy means they can play straight away. If a download is required, that expectation breaks, and the value of a box on the shelf shifts. Clear labels and honest timing estimates would help people make a better choice before they pay.
If you are planning to play on launch day, the sensible move is to check your storage, confirm your plan and, where possible, download early. Small preparations now can save a lot of frustration later.
The Builder the engineer's view
From an engineering view, a download of this size is less about raw capacity and more about the whole chain. The file has to travel from a content delivery network, across the internet, through the home router and onto a drive that must write it cleanly. Any weak link can cap the speed well below the advertised figure.
Launch-day demand is the other pressure point. When a large title opens to millions of players at the same moment, servers can strain, and retry logic on the client side becomes critical. Good systems stagger downloads, support resumable transfers and verify files so that a dropped connection does not force a full restart.
Physical media that includes a download step is a sensible compromise, but it places a lot of responsibility on the update path. The disc must work as a reliable starting point, and the installer must handle patches cleanly. Teams that design this well treat the first hour after release as a real test.
For developers and players alike, the lesson is to design for the slowest reasonable path, not the best one. Preloading, clear progress reporting and resilient transfers do more to protect the experience than any single speed number.
The Ledger the business angle
From a business angle, the download requirement shapes how publishers think about revenue, cost and customer trust. Distributing a file of this size is not free, since it draws on content delivery infrastructure and the platform holders' bandwidth. Companies that plan for it can treat that cost as part of the launch budget rather than an afterthought.
The disc-with-download model is also a commercial choice. It lets publishers serve retail partners and collectors while keeping the final product current, but it can blur the value proposition for buyers who expected a complete package. How that trade-off is communicated can affect sales, returns and goodwill in the weeks after release.
Preloading is another lever. It spreads demand across days rather than hours, which reduces the risk of a failed launch and can protect the reputation of a major release. For a title with this much attention, a smooth start is worth more than a few days of marketing noise.
Investors and retailers will watch the first weeks closely. If the launch goes smoothly, the story becomes one of execution. If it does not, the download itself becomes the headline.