GTA 6 datamine: pre-load files hint at online mode and PS5 Pro upgrades

A GTA 6 datamine of the newly live pre-load files has turned up labels that point to an online mode and better ray tracing on PS5 Pro. However, the files are encrypted, Rockstar has not explained any of it, and nothing here is confirmed yet.

What the GTA 6 datamine found

Pre-loading started in New Zealand on November 9, and dataminers got to work within hours. The game itself is locked until launch day, so they can only read file names, labels and sizes. In other words, no story, map or mission details have leaked.

Even so, three findings have caught most of the attention. Here is each one, with how solid it really is.

1. Multiplayer labels in the PlayStation data

The tracker account PlayStation Game Size posted three entries from the game’s PlayStation metadata on X: “joinSession”, “launchActivity” and “launchMultiplayerActivity”. These are system labels that PS5 uses to open activities or let friends join a session.

The last one names multiplayer directly, so fans see it as the clearest sign yet of a new GTA Online. Still, a label in a store listing does not prove that a playable mode exists. It also says nothing about when it would arrive.

2. Story mode as its own download

GameSpot reports that players who pre-loaded found “Story” listed as a separate item inside the download. Dataminer TexFunz2 also says the game appears to use a shared base install. So some fans think an online mode could later come as its own download, which you could install or remove separately.

3. Different ray tracing data on PS5 Pro

According to IGN’s round-up, the files include BVH8 ray tracing data that differs between the PS5 and PS5 Pro. One dataminer says the Pro’s story asset set is 223.5 MB, while the same set on a base PS5 is an empty 64 KB file. Separately, posts attributed to Zuby_Tech point to a 120Hz output setting.

Rockstar has since confirmed that the PS5 Pro gets ray-traced shadows and PSSR upscaling, while every console targets 30 fps. So a 120Hz output option would not mean a higher frame rate. Our GTA 6 PS5 Pro report has the official details.

The missing file in Australia and New Zealand

Another finding involves a file called “core_restofworld001”. It is reportedly missing from the Australia and New Zealand version of the game. Some fans read that as a sign of cut content in those countries.

That is only a guess. A missing file in an encrypted list could point to different content, a translation quirk or nothing at all. Gamereactor stresses that nothing in the data proves any of these options. Japan’s build is also about 1 GB smaller, as covered in our report on the smaller Japanese version of GTA 6.

What Rockstar has actually said

Very little. In its June pre-order announcement, Rockstar described GTA 6 as a single-player experience, IBTimes UK notes. The PlayStation Store page also lists one player and offline play. Neither rules out online later, but neither confirms it.

This fits what we already knew. Most reports expect a new online mode to follow in 2027 rather than on day one. Our story on GTA 6 online multiplayer expected in 2027 covers that timeline in full.

FAQ

Will GTA 6 have online at launch?

Rockstar has not announced an online mode. The new labels hint that one is planned, but experts quoted by GameSpot expect it some time in 2027.

Does GTA 6 run better on PS5 Pro?

It looks better, but it does not run faster. Rockstar confirms PSSR and ray-traced shadows on the Pro, with the same 30 fps target as the base PS5.

Can I play GTA 6 now that it is pre-loaded?

No. The files stay locked until midnight local time on November 19.

Sources

• Rockstar Newswire: Pre-Load Grand Theft Auto VI Now
• IGN: GTA 6 metadata points to ray tracing improvements on PS5 Pro
• GameSpot: GTA 6 preloading is officially live, files mention multiplayer and PS5 Pro features
• Gamereactor: Dataminers dig into newly live GTA 6 preload files
• IBTimes UK: Dataminers dig into the GTA 6 preload and find multiplayer labels
• Insider Gaming: GTA 6 datamine reveals multiplayer references