GTA 6 prompts US internet provider to offer free upgrade to improve launch day download speed

Rockstar Games has shifted Grand Theft Auto VI’s pre-load date forward, and that’s probably down to the fact that the game is going to take an absolute age to install.

It was recently confirmed that GTA VI will boast an enormous file size of up to 212GB, although final sizing may slightly differ between PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

It’s with that in mind that Rockstar has shifted pre-loads to November 10 for those who have pre-ordered the game digitally.

Those who opted for a code-in-a-box copy, unfortunately, will still need to wait until November 12 to get the game installed, ahead of its November 19 launch.

Depending on your internet speed, GTA VI could take anything from a couple of hours to several days to install, but one US internet provider is offering a free boost so that customers don’t have to feel as if they’re in a race against the clock.

As reported by Dexerto, US broadband provider Spectrum has announced that its free temporary upgrade offer will allow customers to download GTA VI in as little as 30 minutes.

Spectrum is set to introduce a ‘Gig Speed Lift’ that will boost the internet speed of qualifying customers for a temporary period for free.

In an announcement, Spectrum said: “The most anticipated game in the world is almost ready to download.”

It confirmed that the offer would run from November 9 to November 30, with customers set to be “cruising Vice City before the rest of the block finishes downloading”.

To make use of the offer, it’s simply relayed that customers with qualifying internet plans need to “opt in” via the My Spectrum App.

As well as the launch of GTA VI, the offer period also encompasses Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday.

Over on Reddit, fans appear to be pretty impressed by the offer, even if they do see through what is ultimately clever marketing.

“Thats honestly a pretty good offer. Getting bumped up to a gig for the month of November for free is generous. Wish AT&T did something like that,” said nugood2do.

“Honestly a great way to sell them on upgrading to the faster speeds later. ‘First taste is free’ and all that,” added Far-Reception-4598.

READ MORE: GTA 6 confirms regional unlock times as Xbox and PS5 users plan for early hands-on

Those who don’t utilise this offer are probably looking at a 4 to 5 hour install time

Rockstar Games

It appears that Spectrum is offering a speed of 1 Gbps - and if so, it should prove to actually be incredibly useful to last-minute purchasers who don’t have the full breadth of the pre-load period.

Twitter/X user Squawk Gaming previously shared what gamers can expect in terms of download times given GTA VI’s file size.

The estimates were based on the game’s leaked size of 210GB, but the confirmed size of 212GB, depending on platform, is essentially bang on the money.

Squawk Gaming estimated that a 10 Gbps speed would see the game download in two minutes and 48 seconds, while a 1 Gbps speed would result in a 28-minute install time.

A 100 Mbps speed could take four hours and 40 minutes, while those with a speed of 10 Mbps are looking at one day, 22 hours, and 40 minutes.

The average speed for many households is around 100 Mbps, but even that is ultimately fine. Yes, you’ll be waiting a few hours, but the pre-load period is running for nine days.

It’s so exciting to think that GTA VI is right around the corner. Enjoy this final ride to the finish line, friends.