YouTube will stream the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI for 24 hours straight, starting at 12 AM ET on Thursday, November 19, 2026, on its own channel, the company announced on its official blog on November 12. YouTube says it is partnering with Rockstar Games on the launch, and the stream is called “Launch Day: YouTube’s 24 Hour GTAVI Livestream.”
When and Where to Watch
- Pre-show: 11 PM ET on Wednesday, November 18 (8 PM PT, or 4 AM GMT on November 19 in the UK), hosted by RDCWorld.
- Main stream: 12 AM ET on November 19 (9 PM PT on November 18, or 5 AM GMT), running for 24 hours.
- Where: the official YouTube channel at youtube.com/youtube. YouTube says you can also click the GTA VI-themed YouTube logo on its homepage to jump straight in.
The lineup YouTube names includes Caylus, Zhong and Kat, Jelly, Rivers, Jake Baldino and Cinna, “and more,” with live gameplay, creator podcasts and original shows. The marathon ends with live coverage from Miami alongside creators and special guests. YouTube produced the stream with Entropico.
The Free Gift and the Other Extras
The launch also brings a few things you can use yourself:
- A free YouTube Live gift. YouTube is adding five limited-edition GTA VI gifts for live chat, including a Wanted Stars animation that pops up on screen. Eligible viewers watching select creator streams can claim and send one for free while they last.
- A Shorts effect. “GTAVI: Visit Vice City” drops you into Vice City with a choice of backgrounds for your own launch-week Shorts.
- The soundtrack. The official GTA VI soundtrack, including Morgan Wallen’s “Last Thing You Need,” and a playlist covering the whole series sit on the YouTube Music homepage through launch week.
YouTube also shared a number: the Grand Theft Auto series has passed 900 billion views on the platform, and pre-launch GTA VI videos alone have topped 40 billion.
What This Means for Players
The main stream starts at midnight Eastern, the same time the US store listing gives for the unlock (our release time guide has every region), so the stream and the game should go live together. If you want to be playing rather than watching, preload GTA 6 before the pre-show starts. If you are waiting on a later delivery or a disc, the stream is the easiest way to see the opening hours as they happen.
The song YouTube highlights also plays in the game: our GTA 6 radio stations guide lists where, and our report on GTA VI: The Album covers the launch-day soundtrack. For the in-person side of launch week, see Rockstar’s Miami music festival, and for everything else, our GTA 6 hub.
Source: The YouTube Team, YouTube Official Blog, November 12, 2026.