Gamers face gridlock as latest Grand Theft Auto download ‘nears two days’

Aleksey Savchenko

The sequel to a game that has sold more than 230 million units launches next month – but some players could face a 45-hour download, experts claim

One of the year’s biggest video game launches could leave some British gamers waiting almost two days before they can play, experts said yesterday.

Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to require so much data that players on slower broadband could face download times of nearly 45 hours, according to analysis by broadband provider Wildanet.

Rockstar, the game’s maker, has not yet confirmed the game’s final file size, but estimates reportedly put it at between 150GB and 200GB, with some unofficial predictions running as high as 600GB.

A 150GB download on an ageing 10Mbps copper connection would take more than 33 hours under ideal conditions, according to Wildanet, while at 200GB, the wait rises to almost 45 hours.

_{The two lead characters in Grand Theft Auto VI, Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval, in Vice City, the fictional Florida setting for the new game. Credit: Rockstar Games}

The game launches on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, 13 years after GTA V first went on sale.

Simon Hughes, chief commercial officer at Wildanet, said: “For millions of households, gaming is one of the clearest examples of how quickly everyday life is becoming more data hungry.

“Nobody wants to spend release day watching a progress bar, especially when a big download can also slow down streaming, home working, video calls and everything else people rely on their connection for.

“For people still using older copper broadband, downloading a game of this size could mean waiting more than a day and tying up the home internet in the process.”

The Grand Theft Auto series has sold-in more than 470 million units worldwide, while GTA V alone has passed 230 million.

Released in 2013, GTA V also reached $1 billion in retail sales faster than any entertainment release in history.

Interest in the latest game has been similarly huge. The first GTA VI trailer attracted more than 93 million YouTube views in its first 24 hours, while the second generated more than 475 million views across platforms in the same period.

READ MORE: Inside gaming billionaire Gabe Newell’s next-level gigayacht. The 111-metre Leviathan, with a reported £111M price tag, features a dive centre, laboratory, onboard hospital and 3D printing workshop designed to support marine research as well as luxury cruising.

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_{Main image: An official promotional image for Grand Theft Auto VI, which returns players to the crime-filled fictional state of Leonida and its Miami-inspired Vice City. Credit: Rockstar Games}

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Gamers face gridlock as latest Grand Theft Auto download ‘nears two days’

Aleksey Savchenko

TOP STORIES

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•  Jaguar puts controversial rebrand on the road with £130K 1,030PS Type 01
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•  Meltdowns, pre-race tears and 'joyous bedlam': inside Goodwood’s wildest race of the weekend
•  British Museum bans photos of Bayeux Tapestry after visitors hold up queues
•  Two Mediterranean islands, one perfect autumn escape
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•  This Japanese ski resort has just been named the world’s best place for seasonal work
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