GTA VI breaks Virgin Media broadband records as fans rush to pre-load game

• Virgin Media O2 saw a record-breaking 24 hours on its broadband network as gamers rushed to pre-load GTA VI ahead of launch 

• Tuesday’s daily data volume beat the previous record set by last week’s launch of Fortnite Chapter 7 Mini Season by 4% 

• Peak broadband traffic surpassed the previous record set during Arsenal v Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final by 3.8% 

• New polling shows the lengths gamers are going to ahead of launch day, with nearly half (45%) expecting to spend £50 or more on gaming kit, and one dedicated fan even having his kit professionally cleaned in preparation  

11 November 2026: Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) pre-loads have driven a record-breaking day on Virgin Media O2’s broadband network, smashing both its biggest-ever traffic peak and highest-ever daily data volume on Tuesday 10 November, as fans rushed to pre-load the long-awaited game ahead of its release on 19 November.  

The network’s previous record for evening peak period broadband traffic, set during Arsenal v Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, was surpassed by 3.8%, while total daily data volumes exceeded the previous record set by the release of Fortnite Chapter 7 Mini Season on 1 November by 4%. At 11.05pm, the total volume of data downloaded exceeded the previous record for an entire day.   

In the first hour of pre-loading, Virgin Media O2 recorded a 51.6% increase in broadband traffic between midnight and 1am on Tuesday 10 November compared to the previous week, as downloads got underway. By 9am, the total volume of data downloaded was 73.3% higher than during the equivalent period last Tuesday 3 November. 

New polling shows the lengths gamers are going to ahead of launch day, with nearly half (46%) of players expecting to download GTA VI before release day. Nearly half (45%) also expect to spend £50 or more on gaming kit, excluding the game itself. 

More than three-quarters (78%) have made, or plan to make, changes to their schedules to find time to play. Almost a quarter (23%) expect to stay up later than usual or get less sleep, while 22% plan to keep a whole weekend free. Half (50%) of working respondents who expect to play plan to take some time off, with a third (33%) expecting to take at least two days. 

Fans get their set-ups in gear for Vice City 

 More than eight in ten (81%) have taken, or plan to take, steps ahead of launch, from clearing console storage (21%) to checking broadband speeds (18%) and stocking up on snacks (28%). 

 One fan, Ciaran, 31, a chef, is leaving nothing to chance ahead of GTA VI. He has upgraded his controller and speakers, and even paid to have his PS5 professionally cleaned so his set-up is ready for launch. He’s also booked a few days off work to make the most of it. 

Ciaran said, “GTA was a big part of my teenage years, so I’ve been looking forward to GTA VI for a long time. It’s going to be the biggest thing in my year, and I want to be ready to jump in as soon as it launches. I’ve got a new controller and speakers, and even had my PS5 professionally cleaned so nothing gets in the way of my vehicular crime spree. I’ve booked a couple of days off work, so I can properly settle in and be a game-obsessed teenager again.” 

It’s a level of anticipation shared by many fans. The polling found that 61% are more excited about GTA VI than most other film, TV, music or game releases this year, and 53% say it will be the highlight of their year. Players expect to spend an average of 17 hours in the game during its first week. 

Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:  

“GTA VI is already proving to be a record-breaking moment for our network, with fans downloading the game in huge numbers before it launches. With fans booking time off work and upgrading their gaming set-ups for GTA VI, a reliable broadband connection is just as important so they can get the game downloaded in good time. We’ve been preparing our network for the demand that comes with a launch of this scale, so fans can focus on exploring Vice City, not watching a download bar.” 

Virgin Media customers on the company’s Gig2 service will be able to download the 190GB game in under 15 minutes. 

ENDS  

About Virgin Media’s network data 

Network data is based on broadband traffic recorded across Virgin Media O2’s fixed broadband network on 10 November 2026.  

The 54.1% increase reflects traffic recorded between 00:00 and 01:00, compared with 03 November 2026. The 75.6% increase reflects the total volume of data downloaded between 00:00 and 09:00 on 10 November, compared with the equivalent period on Tuesday 3 November 2026.  

Tuesday 10 November was a record-breaking day for Virgin Media’s broadband network, recording both its highest-ever peak traffic and greatest daily data volumes. Peak traffic exceeded the previous record, set during Arsenal v Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, by 3.8%, while total daily data volumes exceeded the previous record, set following the release of Fortnite Chapter 7 Mini Season on 1 November 2026, by 4%. The previous daily data volume record was surpassed at 23:05. 

About the consumer polling 

Strand Partners’ specialist research team conducted an online survey on 30 October 2026 among 520 UK adults who expect to play GTA VI, as part of a survey of 1,006 UK adults that was nationally representative by age, gender and NUTS 1 region. Strand Partners is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Time-off-work figures are based on respondents who expect to play GTA VI and are in work.