GTA 6's 200GB+ File Size Could Leave PS5 Owners Scrambling for Space

With Grand Theft Auto 6 approaching its highly anticipated release, PlayStation 5 owners have a few things to do before they can jump into Rockstar's next major release. The game is expected to become one of the biggest launches in entertainment history, bringing millions of players together on launch day.

However, it may not be as simple as buying the game and waiting until release day to play it. Players will want to prep their consoles ahead of time, especially for storage space and downloading the game before everyone else starts jumping on PlayStation Network.

The first thing PS5 owners should consider is clearing out their console storage.

The original PlayStation 5 and the latest PS5 Slim models come with an 800GB SSD, although the operating system and other system files leave players with a little over 600GB of usable space. GTA 6 is reportedly expected to require more than 200GB, with estimates placing its installation size somewhere between 214GB and 240GB. 

If you regularly play several games on your PS5, you may already be familiar with deciding which titles deserve to stay installed. Every major release brings another round of deleting older games to make room for something new. However, GTA 6 could make that process much harder because of its reported storage requirements. Players who want to keep the game installed alongside their existing library will need to decide before launch day.

One recommendation is to start with larger multiplayer games that you rarely play anymore. Good candidates include titles like Call of Duty, Fortnite, and The Finals, since they can take up a lot of storage. Call of Duty in particular is notorious for its huge install sizes, so it's a no-brainer for anyone who wants to free up hundreds of gigabytes.

With GTA 6 looking set to feature a lengthy single-player campaign that could take over 80 hours to finish on the main storyline, many players will probably spend a lot of time exploring Rockstar's new world instead of hopping between multiplayer games.

Another option is to buy an additional SSD for your PS5, which lets you expand the console's storage without constantly deleting games.

Unfortunately, current SSD prices make this option much less attractive than it used to be. Storage upgrades are getting increasingly expensive, and it's getting difficult to find a reasonably priced drive that meets the console's specifications. If you have an old (and unused) SSD lying around from a previous laptop or handheld gaming device, you could try reusing it if it meets the PS5 requirements.

But buying a brand new SSD might not be the best idea right now, especially if you're looking for more space to install GTA 6. For most gamers, the cheaper route is to clear out older games. If you decide to return to them later, you can always reinstall those titles, leaving enough room for Rockstar's upcoming release.

My second piece of advice might not apply to everyone: pre-order GTA 6. Pre-ordering games has been a hot topic lately, especially with some big-name releases that players felt didn't deliver. However, there is a practical reason securing your copy early could help. 

According to the information discussed, GTA 6 preloading is expected to begin on November 10 at midnight, giving players nine days before the reported November 19 release date to download the game. Once the game becomes available, players will hopefully only need to download a relatively small update or wait for the release unlock before starting their adventure. This could save considerable time compared to downloading the entire game on launch day.

Preloading becomes especially important given the scale of GTA 6's expected launch.

Unlike traditional physical releases, the game reportedly won't have a physical version at launch, meaning players will rely on digital distribution to access it. Millions of customers could try to download the game through PlayStation Network in a short period. 

PlayStation Network has also experienced several high-profile disruptions over the years, including the major outage during the PS3 generation. Christmas periods have also brought their share of server problems as players attempt to access newly purchased games and online services. With GTA 6 expected to attract an enormous audience, launch-day server problems could become a serious inconvenience for anyone who waits until November 19 to begin downloading the game.

The game's price is also a hot topic, with the regular edition reportedly starting at $80 and the higher-end edition at $100.

The base price is already higher than many players would like, but the extra content in the more expensive version has led to more discussion about Rockstar's pricing strategy. Some players may feel compelled to buy the $100 version because of the extra in-game content and different features. 

In the end, there are only two steps to get your PS5 ready for GTA 6: freeing up enough storage space and downloading the game ahead of launch day. You don't necessarily need to buy an expensive SSD or delete your entire gaming library, but having more than 200GB of free space will matter.

Preloading the game during the expected November 10 window should also help you avoid unnecessary waiting when November 19 arrives. With millions of players expected to access GTA 6 simultaneously, getting everything ready beforehand could make the difference between playing immediately and spending launch day waiting for a download.