GTA 6 preloads triggered network congestion for UK broadband provider YouFibre on 10 November 2026, after a surge in downloads reduced speeds for some customers.
The company linked the disruption to demand for Rockstar Games' upcoming release, while Virgin Media O2 separately reported record traffic across its own broadband network.
Digital preloading opened on 10 November, nine days before launch. Rockstar confirmed the date for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
GTA 6 Downloads Put Pressure on YouFibre's Network
YouFibre told customers it was dealing with a network capacity issue caused by high demand for GTA 6 downloads. The provider said the surge had reduced overall download speeds, indicating that the problem extended beyond individual households trying to retrieve the game.
'We are aware of a network capacity issue affecting the YouFibre network, due to the high demand of GTA 6 downloads,' the company said in an email to customers. 'Unfortunately, this has caused the overall download speeds of the service to decrease.'
YouFibre Chief Executive Jeremy Chelot also addressed the disruption on X on 10 November. He said one of the company's Broadband Network Gateways, or BNGs, was experiencing difficulties and engineers were trying to rebalance traffic.
GTA 6 is causing internet issues as players rush to preload the game at the same time
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) November 11, 2026
A UK broadband provider has warned customers of capacity problems “due to the high demand of GTA 6 downloads” pic.twitter.com/ugKisGC8SI
'GTA6 is causing issue with one of our BNG...trying to rebalance the traffic...therefore people around Yorkshire are currently suffering congestion... bear with us please,' Chelot wrote.
Chelot identified customers around Yorkshire as affected, although neither he nor YouFibre disclosed how many subscribers experienced slower speeds or how severe the disruption was.
The issue involved congestion at a Broadband Network Gateway, which manages traffic between providers and customers, but there is no evidence of a nationwide internet outage or a failure of Rockstar's download servers.
GTA 6 Preloads Also Set Virgin Media O2 Traffic Records
Virgin Media O2 also reported record demand on 10 November, recording its highest-ever peak traffic and greatest daily data volume. It attributed the surge to GTA 6 preloads, but did not publish download totals or say how many customers were involved.
The company said peak traffic exceeded its previous record, set during an Arsenal v Atlético Madrid Champions League semi-final, by 3.8 per cent.
Total daily data volumes were 4 per cent higher than the previous record, which had been set after the release of Fortnite Chapter 7 Mini Season on 1 November.
Virgin Media O2 said the previous daily data record was surpassed at 11.05pm on 10 November. The figures show the scale of activity on its network, but the company did not report a corresponding outage or say that customers experienced slower connections.
YouFibre later told customers that its network team had completed emergency traffic management to spread the surge across the wider network.
The company said service had returned to normal, although customers still downloading GTA 6 could continue to notice slower speeds because those downloads were being prioritised.
The update did not give a timetable for every customer's speeds to return to normal. Even subscribers who were not downloading the game could feel the effects of demand elsewhere on a shared network.
GTA 6 launches on 19 November. The evidence shows YouFibre congestion and record Virgin Media O2 usage, not a nationwide slowdown.
