Rockstar’s cash cow, Grand Theft Auto, is set to get another installment after more than a decade. From the release window to the plot, here’s all we know about GTA 6.
GTA 6 is being touted as the most important game ever, not only by analysts but also by Rockstar Games and Take-Two. After selling 200 million copies of GTA 5, the developer is now looking to boost its revenue with GTA 6.
In a fiscal report, Rockstar has expressed its confidence in achieving “tremendous growth, including sequential increases in Net Bookings.”
It’s safe to say that GTA 6’s release will be a seismic event for the gaming community. But when will it be released?
GTA 6 release date: Confirmed release window
Take-Two, the parent company of developer Rockstar Games, has confirmed that GTA 6 will be released in the fall of 2024 on Xbox Series X|S and PS5. This means that it could arrive between September and October of next year.
“Our outlook reflects a narrowing of Rockstar Games’ previously established window of Calendar 2025 to Fall of Calendar 2025 for Grand Theft Auto VI,” the company said.
In December, Rockstar delivered some excellent news for players, confirming 2025 as the year for GTA 6’s release. Now, Take-Two has settled on a fixed window in the fall of 2024 in its Q4 2024 earnings report, which outlined revenue growth and expectations for the future.
A 2025 release would make GTA 6 one of the longest games under development, with almost a 12-year gap between the last installment and the new one, as reports claim that the game entered development in 2014.
It’s worth noting that the game won’t be available on PC at launch. Release plans for PC remain unclear.
GTA 6 map size and locations
GTA 6 will take things back to where it all started: Vice City. The game will be set in a virtual Miami, specifically in Leonida, which is basically the game’s version of Florida.
The locations spotted are similar to those we have seen before in Vice City. There’s a mention of Vice Dale County, Leonard County, and Kelly County.
At the beginning of the trailer, a chopper is flying over the city, carrying an N1NE1NINE banner, which, according to the fans, is likely GTA’s version of the real-life E11EVEN club.
Keen-eyed fans have also spotted the VC Broadwalk, Port Vice City, airport, and other notable locations. Of course, stores will be open for looting and robberies.
There’ll be plenty of opportunities to make cash in Vice City’s underbelly as GTA 6 will reportedly have a much larger map compared to GTA 5.
Rockstar was earlier going for a map twice the size of GTA 5 but then later scratched it in favor of a static map, according to Bloomberg.
This means the developer will continue to expand the map and add new location-based missions to the game. The static map will be a unique change from the previous installments that included massive but limited locations.
GTA 6 trailer
GTA 6’s first official trailer, released in December 2023, is a testament to the game’s popularity. The video broke records, becoming the most-watched gaming video within 24 hours. The trailer has amassed a total of 190 million views, with 93 million views gathered within the first day of its release.
With Tom Petty’s “Love is a Long Road” playing in the background, the characters can be seen wreaking havoc in Vice City. From adrenaline-fueled dialogue to dance parties, the trailer is everything fans had expected from GTA 6.
The giant poster of Vice City in the trailer suggests that the signature Florida lifestyle will be at the heart of the game. From iconic Malibu-style clubs to Vice Beach, players may get a chance to revisit the 2000s with less neon visuals.
The trailer shows that Rockstar has clearly moved on from the flashy pink and purple clubs. The visuals are more muted, serene, and picturesque.
GTA 6 main characters and plot
For the first time, GTA 6 will have a female protagonist alongside the male one.
Lucia and the man, whose name is still unknown, are apparently a couple. The song in the backdrop further confirms that there may be themes of romance in the game, but crime takes center stage. Lucia and her partner may have a rags-to-riches story arc.
Lucia has been incarcerated once in her life, and the GTA 6 story likely begins after she gets released on parole. In the official poster, she can be seen wearing an ankle monitor.
At the end of the trailer, as the couple flees from the police, fans will notice bullet holes in their car, evidence of a recent shootout. This is likely a nod to Bonnie and Clyde, the famous real-life couple who lived a life of crime.
It won’t be surprising if GTA 6 draws inspiration from their life events, in which case, fans may want to prepare for a heart-breaking ending.
READ MORE: GTA 6 trailer released by Rockstar after it gets leaked early — release date details
