It was a moment years in the making for the most dedicated fans. Rockstar Games released an extensive preview of Grand Theft Auto VI, the most anticipated video game of the year, on Netflix this Thursday, August 27.
The American studio chose to partner with the streaming platform to broadcast its trailer at 9 p.m. Paris time, before publishing it for free on YouTube six hours later. The financial decision—Netflix reportedly paid nearly $100 million for exclusivity, according to U.S. media—appears to have paid off, though not without significant technical hiccups.
Netflix Overwhelmed by Connection Surge
Minutes before the scheduled premiere, the predictable occurred: Netflix’s website crashed under the sheer volume of simultaneous connections. Numerous users were greeted with a “Something went wrong” error message. According to data from Down Detector, the outage began around 8:30 p.m. and persisted for several dozen minutes after 9 p.m.
This was not the first time Netflix experienced such a server meltdown. The same issue occurred during the release of the final episode of Stranger Things season 5 on January 1, which also overwhelmed their infrastructure.
Twitch Also Succumbs to Fan Frenzy
Netflix was not the only casualty of GTA fan enthusiasm. Minutes later, the live-streaming platform Twitch also suffered significant disruptions and ultimately crashed for many users.
Rockstar Games had authorized content creators to stream the game’s announcement trailer live starting at 9 p.m., which naturally attracted countless curious viewers who either lacked a Netflix subscription or wanted to experience the moment through their favorite streamer’s reaction.
27 Minutes of Unprecedented Gameplay
Once connectivity issues were resolved, fans were not disappointed by the trailer, which was actually a gameplay preview lasting more than 27 minutes. Rockstar Games appears to have delivered yet another groundbreaking experience: the game displays near-unprecedented realism and graphical beauty in the gaming world, interactions feel alive, and the universe and characters remain as satirical as ever.
The video showcased essential GTA elements—car chases, police confrontations, heists—alongside a more diverse range of secondary activities than ever before, including basketball, scuba diving, kayaking, weightlifting, and motocross racing.
The release of this sixth installment in the saga, featuring a “Bonnie and Clyde”-style protagonist duo in a Florida-inspired setting, is scheduled for November 19.
