GTA VI Preload Reportedly Sets Virgin Media Traffic Records

GTA VI preloading caused the biggest broadband traffic peak and the largest daily data volume in Virgin Media O2’s history in the UK. Rockstar INTEL published the claim on November 11, based on data from the operator itself.

The record dates to November 10, the day the game’s preload opened.

Up 51.6% in the first hour

According to Virgin Media O2, traffic in the first hour of preloading rose 51.6% compared with the previous week. That hour ran from 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. UK time.

By 9:00 a.m. UK time, the total volume of data downloaded was already 73.3% higher than the same window on November 3.

The records it broke

The operator compares the figures with its previous marks:

• Afternoon and evening traffic peak: 3.8% above the previous record, set by the Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid Champions League match.
• Daily data volume: 4% above the previous record, set on November 1 with the launch of the Fortnite Chapter 7 Mini Season.

By 11:05 p.m. UK time, the volume downloaded had already surpassed the previous record for a full day.

Problems at another operator

Rockstar INTEL also reports issues at YouFibre, another UK provider. Its CEO, Jeremy Chelot, said on Twitter that GTA VI traffic was causing problems on one of its network devices and that there was congestion in the Yorkshire area while the company redistributed the load.

What this means for you

GTA VI launches on November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and preloading has been open since November 10. If you haven’t done it yet, you have time to download the game before launch. You can find the details on consoles, editions, and preloading in our launch story.