Grand Theft Auto 6 is officially launching on November 19, bringing an end to a 13-year wait for the next major installment of the blockbuster franchise. Australian players are fortunate to experience the launch ahead of most of the world, with Kiwi neighbors getting access slightly earlier. With game preloads officially kicking off on November 10, players are scrambling to ensure their internet infrastructure can handle the massive 212GB file download. Because download times vary drastically based on broadband speeds, internet service providers are rolling out early Black Friday NBN promotions and aggressive introductory discounts to capture customers looking to speed up their downloads before launch day.
Key takeaways
- Grand Theft Auto 6 officially launches on November 19, with preloads starting November 10.
- The game file requires downloading an enormous 212GB package.
- The fastest NBN 2000 plans can download the game in 14 minutes and 8 seconds, compared to 56 minutes on NBN 500 connections.
- Telstra is offering 50% off plan fees for four months across all of its speeds as part of early Black Friday deals.
Download speeds and connection timelines
Downloading a 212GB file demands substantial bandwidth, and home connection tiers directly dictate how long players will wait before they can jump into the game. An NBN 500 plan running at 500Mbps takes approximately 56 minutes and 32 seconds to complete the entire download. Stepping up to an NBN 750 connection drops that waiting window down to 37 minutes and 41 seconds. Meanwhile, an NBN 1000 gigabit connection finishes the process in 28 minutes and 16 seconds.
For households with access to ultra-fast fiber infrastructure, the top-tier NBN 2000 option hits speeds of 2,000 Mbps and slashes the download time to just 14 minutes and 8 seconds. Utilizing an NBN 2000 plan, however, typically requires dedicated equipment to be installed at the premises beforehand, which could affect setup timelines. To entice users upgrading ahead of release day, major providers like Telstra have introduced aggressive promotions, offering 50% off plan fees for four months across all speed tiers.
Top provider plans and broadband deals
Several major Australian internet service providers feature competitive plans tailored for heavy data usage and online multiplayer gaming. Exetel offers an NBN 500 plan priced at an AU$80 minimum cost with an AU$960 yearly cost, which includes a convenient feature allowing users to boost their speeds to NBN 1000 for 24 hours for just AU$1. Furthermore, Exetel recorded the quickest ping speeds in the most recent ACCC broadband performance data report at 6.9ms, making it an attractive choice for competitive online gaming.
For the NBN 750 tier, Spintel provides its Home Turbo Fast plan at AU$69 a month for the first six months before moving to an ongoing AU$94.95 monthly fee, coming in well below the current AU$107 market average. Superloop features options for higher tiers, including an NBN 1000 plan at an AU$89 minimum cost for the first six months and an NBN 2000 Hyperspeed plan at an AU$148 minimum cost for the first six months. These packages provide solid alternative pathways for gamers looking to optimize their home networks before the big release.
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