Buying GuidesGrand Theft Auto VI
How much storage does GTA 6 need on PS5 and Xbox?
Sony says to clear at least 212GB on your PS5 for GTA 6, and Rockstar says it needs up to 212GB depending on your device. Here's what extra storage costs.
Sony has told PS5 owners to clear at least 212GB before Grand Theft Auto VI starts pre-loading, and Rockstar’s own support pages say the game needs up to 212GB on either console. Pre-loading opens on Tuesday 10 November for digital pre-orders, so the next couple of days are the time to check how much room you have.
What we know about the size
- PS5: Sony’s PlayStation Blog post on 3 November says to clear a minimum of 212GB of storage space on your PS5. It says “minimum”, so a launch-day patch could add to it.
- Xbox Series X|S: Rockstar Support’s pre-load FAQ and its installation requirements page, both updated on 3 November, say the game needs up to 212GB of available space, depending on your device. Neither gives a separate Xbox number, and the Microsoft Store listing doesn’t show an install size, so 212GB is the figure to plan around on Xbox too. We’ll update this guide if a separate figure appears.
Rockstar Support says digital pre-orders can start pre-loading on Tuesday 10 November: at local midnight on PS5, and at 12am GMT on Xbox, which is 11am in Sydney. Boxed copies hold a download code that can be redeemed from 12 November. Our pre-load guide has the details.
Will it fit on your console?
Sony’s Australian pages list the PS5 with a disc drive at 1TB, the PS5 Digital Edition at 825GB and the PS5 Pro at 2TB. Sony adds that part of the SSD is reserved for system software, so the space you can use is smaller. Microsoft lists the Xbox Series S at 512GB and 1TB, and the Series X at 1TB (disc or digital) and 2TB. We didn’t find a free-space figure on either company’s pages, so look at Settings > Storage on your console for the real number.
If you’re short, uninstall games you’ve finished. On PS5, Sony says you can also move games to a USB drive, but PS5 games can’t be played from there. You have to copy them back first. A USB drive can park your other games, but GTA 6 itself needs to sit on the console’s SSD or on an M.2 SSD inside it.
Adding storage to a PS5
Sony’s requirements for an M.2 SSD are a PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe drive (Key M) from 250GB to 8TB, in one of the 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 or 22110 sizes, with a sequential read speed of 5,500MB/s or faster recommended. It also needs cooling: a heatsink and heat transfer sheet, or a drive that has a heatsink built in. M.2 SATA drives aren’t supported. Sony says it can’t guarantee that every drive meeting those specs will work, and that not every game will necessarily perform exactly as it does on the internal SSD. Sony publishes requirements rather than a list of approved drives, so check any drive against them before you buy.
| Drive | Size | Heatsink | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston NV3 (up to 6,000MB/s read) | 1TB | None listed, so you’d add one | $219 (Computer Alliance) |
| Samsung 990 Pro with heatsink (up to 7,450MB/s read) | 1TB | Built in | $429 (Umart) |
| Crucial P310 with heatsink (up to 7,100MB/s read) | 2TB | Built in | $439 (Umart) |
Samsung’s Australian page for the 990 Pro with Heatsink says it is compatible with PlayStation 5 and links to Sony’s requirements. We haven’t priced standalone heatsinks. Umart lists the Samsung at $429 down from $469.
Adding storage to an Xbox
Microsoft says the Storage Expansion Card adds 512GB, 1TB or 2TB to a Series X or Series S, performs identically to the console’s internal SSD and can play Optimised for Xbox Series X|S games. The Seagate 1TB card is $349 on Microsoft’s own xbox.com page, which says prices and availability may vary by retailer. EB Games lists the 2TB at $599.95.
If you haven’t bought an Xbox yet, Microsoft’s page lists the Series S at $699 for 512GB and $849 for 1TB. That’s $150 more for the bigger console, against $349 for a 1TB card.
The short answer
On PS5, clear at least 212GB before pre-loading opens on 10 November, and an M.2 SSD with a heatsink is the way to add room for GTA 6 itself. On Xbox, Rockstar’s figure is up to 212GB depending on your device, so plan around the same number and check your free space now. Our cheapest way to play GTA 6 has what the consoles and the game cost.
Prices checked on Sunday 8 November 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy. Sizes are from Sony’s and Rockstar’s own pages.
