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Overview
Grand Theft Auto VI is an upcoming open-world action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following Grand Theft Auto V (2013). The game is set in the fictional state of Leonida, a satirical version of Florida, with the sprawling metropolis of Vice City at its center.
GTA VI is scheduled for release on November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. No PC release has been announced. The game was originally targeting a Fall 2025 launch window before being delayed twice: first to May 26, 2026, then to its current November date. Rockstar stated the extra months would allow them to "finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect."
Story
The game follows two protagonists: Jason Duval, a former soldier turned drug runner, and Lucia Caminos, a recently released convict determined to build a better life. The two form a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style partnership.
Rockstar's official story synopsis reads: "Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida, forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive."
Setting
The game takes place across the state of Leonida, a fictional version of Florida. Confirmed regions include Vice City (Miami), the Leonida Keys (Florida Keys), Grassrivers (Everglades), Port Gellhorn (a decaying coastal town), Ambrosia (rural and industrial), and Mount Kalaga National Park (forests and wilderness). The map is estimated to be roughly 2 to 2.5 times the size of GTA V's.
Key Features
Dual protagonists: Players can switch between Jason and Lucia during gameplay. This is the first mainline GTA title with a named, voiced female protagonist.
Modern-day setting: GTA VI takes place in the present day, the first modern-era GTA game since GTA V in 2013. The world features in-game social media apps parodying TikTok, Uber, WhatsApp, and OnlyFans, with NPCs actively recording events on their phones.
Vice City returns: The series returns to Vice City for the first time since 2006's Vice City Stories, now set in the modern era instead of the 1980s. The city is a dense urban environment inspired by contemporary Miami.
Trailers
Trailer 1 dropped on December 4, 2023, set to Tom Petty's "Love Is a Long Road." It became the most-viewed non-music video in YouTube's first 24 hours at the time. Trailer 2 followed on May 6, 2025, running nearly three minutes and set to "Hot Together" by The Pointer Sisters. Rockstar confirmed all footage was recorded on PlayStation 5. Trailer 2 received over 475 million views within 24 hours.
Development
Development reportedly began around 2014. Rockstar officially confirmed the game was "well underway" in February 2022. In September 2022, approximately 90 in-progress development videos were leaked by the hacking group LAPSUS$. For the full timeline, see the Development History article.
Awards
Despite not being released, GTA VI has won five major industry awards across two ceremonies based on public voting and anticipation:
Award | Ceremony | Year |
|---|---|---|
Most Wanted Game | Golden Joystick Awards (42nd) | 2024 |
Most Anticipated Game | The Game Awards | 2024 |
Most Wanted Game | Golden Joystick Awards (43rd) | 2025 |
Best Game Trailer (Trailer 2) | Golden Joystick Awards (43rd) | 2025 |
Most Anticipated Game | The Game Awards | 2025 |
GTA VI won Most Wanted Game at the Golden Joystick Awards in both 2024 and 2025, with Rockstar's David Manley accepting the 2024 award in person. At The Game Awards 2025, GTA VI won Most Anticipated Game for the second consecutive year, beating out titles including The Witcher IV and Marvel's Wolverine.
Key Confirmed Features
Based on official Rockstar communications, trailer analysis, and credible leaks, GTA VI includes the following confirmed or strongly evidenced features:
Feature | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
Dual protagonists | Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval; first female lead in GTA history | Official trailers and Rockstar website |
Setting | Modern-day Vice City within the State of Leonida (Florida-inspired) | Official announcement |
Map scale | Estimated 2 to 2.5 times the size of GTA V's Los Santos and Blaine County | Fan mapping, coordinate analysis, trailer footage |
Enterable interiors | 700+ confirmed buildings with accessible interior spaces | Leak analysis, community mapping |
Over 200 vehicles | Cars, motorcycles, helicopters, planes, boats; returning favorites and new models | Trailer footage and leak data |
Weapon carry limits | Two rifles and two pistols on person; additional weapons stored in vehicle trunks | Leak analysis |
Social media satire | In-game social media platforms, influencer culture parody, viral content | Trailers and official screenshots |
Dynamic NPC behavior | Conditional dialogue, schedule-driven routines, context-sensitive reactions | Patents, leak footage, developer profiles |
Pre-Release Awards
GTA VI has accumulated significant pre-release recognition despite having shown only two trailers by mid-2025:
The Game Awards 2024: Most Anticipated Game (beat Death Stranding 2, Ghost of Yotei, Metroid Prime 4, Monster Hunter Wilds)
Golden Joystick Awards 2024: Most Wanted Game
Golden Joystick Awards 2025: Most Wanted Game (second consecutive year) and Best Game Trailer for Trailer 2
The Game Awards 2025: Most Anticipated Game (second consecutive year)
This makes GTA VI one of only a handful of games to win Most Anticipated at The Game Awards two consecutive years, and only the third game (alongside Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3) to win Most Wanted at the Golden Joystick Awards in back-to-back years.
Industry Impact and Sales Projections
Analysts expect GTA VI to be the highest-grossing entertainment launch in history. DFC Intelligence projects the game will generate approximately $3.2 billion in revenue within its first 12 months, with an estimated $1 billion in pre-orders alone. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick described the launch as "groundbreaking" for the entire entertainment industry during the company's February 2026 earnings call.
Internal projections from Take-Two suggest 18 to 20 million unit sales within the first 24 hours of release. Analyst firm Konvoy estimates the game could generate $7.6 billion within 60 days of launch. Longer-term forecasts from multiple analysts project 100 million copies sold within five years, driven in part by a new GTA Online platform that is expected to sustain recurring revenue long after the initial launch window. With a predicted retail price of $70 to $80, lifetime revenue estimates exceed $10 billion.
Take-Two's management has forecast approximately $6.15 billion in net bookings for the fiscal year tied to GTA VI's launch. Wall Street consensus projects the company's earnings per share to surge from roughly $1.40 in fiscal year 2026 to $7.50 in fiscal year 2027 and $8.60 in fiscal year 2028, reflecting the transformative financial impact of the title.
Key Confirmed Features
Based on official Rockstar communications, trailer analysis, and credible leaks, GTA VI includes the following confirmed or strongly evidenced features:
Feature | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
Dual protagonists | Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval; first female lead in GTA history | Official trailers and Rockstar website |
Setting | Modern-day Vice City within the State of Leonida (Florida-inspired) | Official announcement |
Map scale | Estimated 2 to 2.5 times the size of GTA V's Los Santos and Blaine County | Fan mapping, coordinate analysis, trailer footage |
Enterable interiors | 700+ confirmed buildings with accessible interior spaces | Leak analysis, community mapping |
Over 200 vehicles | Cars, motorcycles, helicopters, planes, boats; returning favorites and new models | Trailer footage and leak data |
Weapon carry limits | Two rifles and two pistols on person; additional weapons stored in vehicle trunks | Leak analysis |
Social media satire | In-game social media platforms, influencer culture parody, viral content | Trailers and official screenshots |
Dynamic NPC behavior | Conditional dialogue, schedule-driven routines, context-sensitive reactions | Patents, leak footage, developer profiles |
Pre-Release Awards
GTA VI has accumulated significant pre-release recognition despite having shown only two trailers by mid-2025:
The Game Awards 2024: Most Anticipated Game (beat Death Stranding 2, Ghost of Yotei, Metroid Prime 4, Monster Hunter Wilds)
Golden Joystick Awards 2024: Most Wanted Game
Golden Joystick Awards 2025: Most Wanted Game (second consecutive year) and Best Game Trailer for Trailer 2
The Game Awards 2025: Most Anticipated Game (second consecutive year)
This makes GTA VI one of only a handful of games to win Most Anticipated at The Game Awards two consecutive years, and only the third game (alongside Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3) to win Most Wanted at the Golden Joystick Awards in back-to-back years.
Industry Impact and Sales Projections
Analysts expect GTA VI to be the highest-grossing entertainment launch in history. DFC Intelligence projects the game will generate approximately $3.2 billion in revenue within its first 12 months, with an estimated $1 billion in pre-orders alone. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick described the launch as "groundbreaking" for the entire entertainment industry during the company's February 2026 earnings call.
Internal projections from Take-Two suggest 18 to 20 million unit sales within the first 24 hours of release. Analyst firm Konvoy estimates the game could generate $7.6 billion within 60 days of launch. Longer-term forecasts from multiple analysts project 100 million copies sold within five years, driven in part by a new GTA Online platform that is expected to sustain recurring revenue long after the initial launch window. With a predicted retail price of $70 to $80, lifetime revenue estimates exceed $10 billion.
Take-Two's management has forecast approximately $6.15 billion in net bookings for the fiscal year tied to GTA VI's launch. Wall Street consensus projects the company's earnings per share to surge from roughly $1.40 in fiscal year 2026 to $7.50 in fiscal year 2027 and $8.60 in fiscal year 2028, reflecting the transformative financial impact of the title.
Marketing and Pricing
Take-Two confirmed during a February 2026 earnings call that Rockstar's full marketing campaign will begin in summer 2026. Pre-orders have not opened as of early 2026. Neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has announced official pricing or special editions.
In February 2026, a third-party digital code reseller (Loaded, formerly CD Keys) listed a placeholder price of approximately £89.99 for the Xbox version. This was not an official Xbox storefront listing, and the price has not been confirmed by Rockstar or Take-Two. CEO Strauss Zelnick has made general comments about the industry trending toward higher price points but has not committed to a specific GTA VI price.