Grand Theft Auto VI will ask Australian households for a 212GB download, and NBN Co says the country’s broadband network is ready for the surge — while predicting the seven-to-eight-day launch window could set a record for total download volume, Telset.id reported.
NBN Co said it does not expect the launch to overwhelm the infrastructure.
A 212GB download meets a network that has handled bigger spikes
NBN Co said the company had “planned for large download events like this” and was confident the NBN network could handle increased demand, according to Telset.id.
The company also works with content distributors to model the impact of major game releases and to spread downloads over longer periods rather than letting every player pull the file at once.
Telset.id reported that a game download release last year coincided with a peak of 32.91 terabits per second — about 30% above baseline, with nearly 8Tbps of added demand at the busiest hour. NBN Co did not name that game.
Preload starts November 10 for digital buyers, November 12 for code-in-box
The pressure-relieving mechanism is preload. Telset.id reported that GTA VI preloading begins November 10, 2026 for anyone who pre-ordered from a digital store, and November 12 for code-in-box buyers, ahead of the November 19, 2026 console launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
“Preload is good news for gamers and good news for the network,” NBN Co said, according to Telset.id.
The company does not expect the preload approach to produce its biggest single-hour or single-day traffic spike, but it does expect a record download volume across the seven-to-eight-day preload and launch period: “We anticipate there will be an increase in traffic during the preload and release period, which could result in record-breaking download volume over that 7–8 day period,” the company said.
What Australian households can check before launch
For smoother downloads, NBN Co recommends checking router placement — high and central, away from obstructions and interference — and reviewing router age, since older models may not deliver full speed on faster NBN plans, Telset.id reported.
Larger or multi-storey homes may benefit from mesh Wi-Fi, while households still on copper-based NBN can check eligibility for a free fiber upgrade. NBN Co also advises reviewing the internet plan to make sure it matches household needs.
/data/photo/2026/10/16/6ad15eb6af715.png "Photo: Kompas")
Teen demand lifts Take-Two shares ahead of earnings
Separately, Investing.com reported that Take-Two Interactive shares rose about 1.5% in premarket trading after a Piper Sandler survey of roughly 9,000 teens found 70% of next-generation console owners plan to buy GTA 6. Of those, 55% plan to buy it soon and 15% will wait several months.
Among planned buyers, about 90% intend to play GTA Online, implying a 44% active-player rate for that mode, according to Piper Sandler. Analysts also noted that about 21% of active consoles sit in the same households, which could narrow the total addressable market because they do not expect respondents to buy two copies.
For Take-Two’s upcoming financial report, Piper Sandler projected bookings of $1.64 billion, down 16% year over year, adjusted EBITDA of $123 million, recurring consumer spending of $1.36 billion, mobile bookings of $751 million and unit sales of $279 million, Investing.com reported.
PC players face a possible May–June 2027 wait
Kompas.com reported that Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, in a BBC interview, predicted GTA 6 for PC will arrive around May or June 2027 — about six to seven months after the console version — rather than the earlier rumor of Q1 or early 2027.
That would be a faster PC rollout than GTA V, which launched on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2013 and reached PC in April 2015, roughly a year and a half later, Kompas.com noted. Rockstar and Take-Two have not announced an official PC date.
Leonida’s map dwarfs Rockstar’s earlier worlds
VIVA.co.id reported that GTA 6’s state of Leonida, including Vice City, is described as nearly matching the combined playable areas of GTA 4, GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, and roughly twice the size of GTA 5’s map. Rockstar has not released an official square-kilometer figure.
Rockstar North co-head of development Aaron Garbut also said the game has far more interiors than previous Rockstar titles, with homes and locations filled with personal items, photos and details that give each place its own character, according to VIVA.co.id.
“GTA 6 has far more interiors than previous Rockstar games,” Garbut said.
GTA VI launch questions, answered
How much of the 212GB can be preloaded before launch?
The sources give the total download size — 212GB — and the preload start dates, but they do not break down how many gigabytes are available in the preload versus on launch day.
Which game caused NBN’s 32.91Tbps record?
NBN Co described it only as a game download release from last year and did not name the title, Telset.id reported.
Is the 212GB figure split between the base game and a day-one patch?
No source in the reporting provides that split; it gives 212GB as the required download for GTA VI.
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