GTA 6 Preloads Bring 55 Launch Trophies & File Leak Warnings

Technically, you can now say GTA 6 comes out next week. The game isn't out yet, but the release is now one week away, and new details keep surfacing. Preloading goes live worldwide tomorrow, and once it does, people will start digging through the game files. 

The biggest talking point is the trophy count. GTA 6 is reportedly launching with 55 trophies: 54 standard ones, plus a Platinum for full completion. On XBOX, that works out to 54 achievements, with the 55th acting as a 100% completion milestone. Expect an in-game event or reward tied to hitting 100%, which would unlock that final one.

The full trophy list isn't confirmed yet, though it could appear once preloading begins.

It probably won't contain any major story spoilers. For comparison, GTA 5 launched with 32 and Red Dead Redemption 2 with 34, and both got more later, along with their online modes. These 55 trophies are most likely for the GTA 6 single-player campaign only, which makes it one of the largest launch counts around.

Some people think that number means GTA Online trophies are already baked in, but that's unlikely. Online trophies will probably arrive after launch or in a separate app download. That would give GTA Online its own list while GTA 6 keeps a single-player Platinum.

Then there's the New Zealand trick for preloads. Reports say switching your XBOX region to New Zealand could let you play up to 18 hours early. The same idea gets thrown around for PlayStation, but regions work very differently there, and this is all theoretical.

Neither Rockstar nor Microsoft has endorsed it. It only works if GTA 6 unlocks at midnight in each time zone rather than at one global moment. If it does, New Zealand gets the game well before Western regions. XBOX lets you change region without repurchasing anything, while PlayStation ties your license to the regional store where you pre-ordered.

An alleged leak has also caused some backlash.

It claimed Rockstar would disable the pause button during cutscenes and missions in the GTA 6 campaign so you can't skip commercial breaks. That's overblown. Blocking skips on early story moments isn't unheard of in cinematic games, although removing pause entirely would be an odd choice.

The "commercial breaks" wording led some people to believe real ads from brands like Coca-Cola or Citibank would show up in the game. They won't. Any ads in GTA are in-universe parodies and sketches written by Rockstar. It's the usual satire, not real-world marketing.

Take-Two also holds its Q2 earnings call tomorrow at 4:30 P.M. EST (9:30 P.M. UTC). Expect some commentary on GTA 6 development milestones and guidance, but don't expect pre-order figures. The CEO typically keeps booking numbers private because pre-orders move around and can be canceled before launch.

Real sales data usually comes in the earnings report about three months after release, likely the Q3 call in early 2027, when revenue and unit sales are expected to reach into the billions. To sum up, GTA 6 is tracking 55 trophies and achievements at launch, preloading starts this week, and your unlock time will depend on your storefront and platform setup. GTA 6 launch week is officially here.