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Trailers
As of early 2026, Rockstar Games has released two official trailers for Grand Theft Auto VI. Both generated record-breaking viewership and revealed significant details about the game's setting, characters, and tone.
Trailer 1 (December 5, 2023)
Release and Reception
The first trailer dropped on December 5, 2023, after Rockstar teased its existence a day earlier. It runs approximately 90 seconds and is set to "Love Is a Long Road" by Tom Petty. The song saw a roughly 37,000% increase in Spotify streams within 24 hours of the trailer's release.
The trailer became the most-viewed non-music video on YouTube in its first 24 hours, surpassing 90 million views in that period. It marked the first official reveal of GTA VI's gameplay footage, setting, and protagonists.
Key Reveals
Setting: The state of Leonida, a fictional Florida, with Vice City (fictional Miami) as the primary urban hub.
Dual protagonists: A man and a woman, later confirmed as Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Lucia was shown behind bars and later free, suggesting a prison backstory.
Modern-day time period: Contemporary cars, smartphones, social media apps, and modern fashion confirm a present-day setting.
Social media culture: NPCs were shown filming events on their phones, posting to in-game social media platforms.
Wildlife: Alligators roaming through suburban neighborhoods and swimming pools.
Vice City's neon nightlife: Sweeping aerial shots of a neon-lit Art Deco cityscape.
Trailer 2 (May 6, 2025)
Release and Reception
The second trailer was released on May 6, 2025, five days after Rockstar announced the first delay (pushing the game from Fall 2025 to May 26, 2026). It runs nearly three minutes and is set to "Hot Together" by The Pointer Sisters, with additional music including "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" by Wang Chung. For the full soundtrack details, see that article.
Rockstar confirmed that all footage in Trailer 2 was "recorded on PlayStation 5." The trailer received over 475 million views within its first 24 hours, surpassing the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer as the biggest video launch of all time.
Key Reveals
Full character names: Rockstar's accompanying website update confirmed "Jason Duval" and "Lucia Caminos" with written backstories.
Supporting cast: Profiles for Brian Heder, Cal Hampton, Boobie Ike, Raul Bautista, Dre'Quan Priest, Bae-Luxe, and Roxy (Real Dimez) were published.
Corrupt cop: An unnamed police officer conducting backroom deals, delivering the line "Us cops gotta stick together."
Vice City in detail: Extended footage of city districts, nightlife, beaches, and commercial areas.
The Leonida Keys: Jason's starting location, showing island living with boats and bars.
Gameplay details: Weapon carrying limits visible (weapons stored in vehicle trunks), MMA cage fighting, gym workouts, kayaking, fishing, and diving.
Vehicle interiors: Detailed dashboards with working mirrors and instruments.
70 screenshots: Released alongside the trailer on the official website.
Trailer Comparison
Detail | Trailer 1 | Trailer 2 |
|---|---|---|
Release date | December 5, 2023 | May 6, 2025 |
Length | ~90 seconds | ~3 minutes |
Music | Tom Petty, "Love Is a Long Road" | Pointer Sisters, "Hot Together"; Wang Chung |
24-hour views | 90+ million | 475+ million |
Platform shown | Not specified | Confirmed PS5 footage |
Character names | Not named | Jason Duval, Lucia Caminos |
Accompanying materials | None | 70 screenshots, character profiles |