GTA 6 download day has already broken broadband records
The GTA 6 download is big enough that it showed up on the national grid of broadband before the game was even out. Pre-loading opened at midnight on Tuesday 10 November 2026, nine days ahead of the 19 November release, and the networks felt it straight away.
Virgin Media O2 says that Tuesday was the busiest day its broadband network has ever had, for both peak traffic and total data. Its evening peak beat the previous record, set during Arsenal v Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, by 3.8%. Total data for the day beat the old record by 4%.
Openreach, which runs the lines most other providers use, told ISPreview that downstream traffic on its network was around 33% higher than an average Tuesday. At 4am, when most of the country is asleep and most consoles apparently weren’t, traffic was up by about 95%.
So if your GTA 6 download is crawling, it isn’t just you. It might, however, be your broadband deal. That bit is worth five minutes of your time.
How big is the GTA 6 download?
Big. The two figures we’ve read at source don’t quite agree, so here are both. Virgin Media O2’s press release calls it a 190GB game. ISPreview reports a file size of around 212GB on PS5, and notes that it varies a bit between consoles.
Either way, the GTA 6 download is one of the largest things most households will ever pull down their line in one go. For scale, ISPreview puts an average 4K video stream at around 3 to 8GB an hour, dozens of hours of 4K streaming.
ISPreview also flags that release day could bring a day one patch on top, plus a second wave of people who didn’t order in advance. If you can start early, start early.
How long will the GTA 6 download take on your broadband?
It depends almost entirely on your download speed. Virgin Media O2 says customers on its Gig2 service can download the 190GB game in under 15 minutes. Most of us aren’t on Gig2, so we’ve done some rough sums for more ordinary speeds.
These are our own arithmetic, not a provider’s promise. They assume your line runs flat out the whole time with nobody else using it, which never happens, so treat them as a best case and expect longer.
| Your download speed | 190GB (Virgin Media O2’s figure) | 212GB (ISPreview’s PS5 figure) |
|---|---|---|
| 36Mbps | Roughly 12 hours | Roughly 13 hours |
| 67Mbps | Roughly 6 and a half hours | Roughly 7 hours |
| 150Mbps | Roughly 3 hours | A little over 3 hours |
| 500Mbps | Roughly 50 minutes | Roughly an hour |
| 900Mbps | Roughly half an hour | A little over half an hour |
The gap is the story. On an older copper line the GTA 6 download is an overnight job. On full fibre it’s a cup of tea. If you’re in the first two rows and paying a price that would get you the last two, that’s the Do-Nothing Default at work, and your provider is perfectly happy about it.
Five ways to speed it up tonight
None of these cost anything, and most take a minute. They work for any big file, but the GTA 6 download is the one testing them this week.
Before you start the download
- Plug the console into the router with a network cable if you can. Wi-Fi is nearly always the slow part.
- Start it late and leave it running. In Openreach’s figures, 4am was the quietest hour of the day, even this week.
- Pause other big jobs in the house, such as cloud backups, 4K streams and other game updates.
- Clear space first. Virgin Media O2’s polling found 21% of players had already cleared console storage for the game.
- Run a speed test next to the router, so you know what your line can really do before you blame the console.
That last one matters most. Virgin Media O2’s survey of 520 people who expect to play found only 18% had checked their broadband speed. Our guide to testing your broadband speed properly shows how to get a number you can trust.
Is slow broadband a reason to switch?
It can be, but check two things first. One GTA 6 download shouldn’t push you into a bad contract.
First, compare the speed you measure with the speed you were promised when you signed up. Ofcom says providers signed up to its broadband speeds codes must give you a minimum guaranteed speed before you buy. If your speed falls below it because of a fault on their network and they can’t fix it within 30 days, Ofcom says they must let you leave your contract without being penalised, and that right also covers products bundled with the broadband. Second, check whether you’re still in contract. If your deal ended a while ago, you’re free to move, and you may well be paying more than a new customer would for the same line.
It’s also worth seeing what’s actually available at your address. Faster full fibre or a 5G home broadband connection may have arrived since you last looked, and this is a busy month for offers. Our round up of Black Friday broadband deals covers what to check before you sign.
Roo’s view, for what it’s worth: no worries, it takes about a minute to look. The realist’s view is that a faster line only helps if the price and the contract length suit you too.
Frequently asked questions about the GTA 6 download
- When can I start the GTA 6 download?
- Pre-loading began at midnight on Tuesday 10 November 2026, according to ISPreview and Virgin Media O2. The game is released on 19 November 2026.
- Will the GTA 6 download use up my data allowance?
- Most home broadband deals are unlimited, but not all. If yours has a monthly cap, or you’re on mobile broadband with a data limit, check it first. A file of 190GB to 212GB could use a capped allowance in one go.
- Why is my GTA 6 download slower than my broadband speed?
- Wi-Fi, other people using the line and busy game servers all slow things down. A wired connection and a quiet time of night usually help.
- Did the networks cope?
- Virgin Media O2 says it prepared its network for the demand and recorded its busiest day ever on 10 November. Openreach reported traffic around 33% above an average Tuesday.
Sources
- Virgin Media O2, “GTA VI breaks Virgin Media broadband records as fans rush to pre-load game”, 11 November 2026. Network records, the 190GB figure, the Gig2 download time and the polling by Strand Partners (520 UK adults who expect to play, from a nationally representative survey of 1,006 UK adults, surveyed 30 October 2026).
- ISPreview, “Openreach details UK broadband traffic impact from GTA 6 pre-loading”, 13 November 2026. Openreach’s hourly traffic figures, including 4am as the quietest hour, the 212GB PS5 figure, the 4K streaming comparison and the day one patch.
- Ofcom, “Broadband speeds: what you need to know”, published 21 November 2022. The minimum guaranteed speed, the 30 day window to fix a fault on the provider’s network, the right to exit without penalty and its application to bundles.
- Download times in the table are Switcheroo’s own rough sums from those file sizes, assuming a line at full speed throughout.
Checked 13 November 2026.
