Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 release date: Here’s what we know about Rockstar’s latest game

If there are no further delays, GTA 6 will launch in more than 13 years after GTA 5, arriving in 2026. That’s a long time without a new Grand Theft Auto game (although Red Dead Redemption 2 was a welcome addition during that gap).

We’ve had enough of new content for Grand Theft Auto Online since 2013, but GTA 6 is what everyone is thinking about now. This is partly because it’s been delayed multiple times and already caused controversy over Rockstar’s dismissal of developers working on it.

It’s clearly the most anticipated upcoming PlayStation 5 game, the most anticipated upcoming Xbox Series X game, and, when the inevitable PC port arrives, the biggest upcoming PC game too. It will probably be the story of the year if it doesn’t get pushed into 2027.

Here’s everything we know about Rockstar’s latest crime epic, including the confirmed release date as of right now.

Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 release date

For almost two years, GTA 6 was supposed to arrive sometime in fall 2025. But in May 2025, we learned that changed. Rockstar released an official statement announcing that “Grand Theft Auto VI is now set to release on May 26, 2026.”

Then came another delay in November 2025. The game got pushed to November 19, 2026. In its statement, Rockstar said it needed “additional months to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve.”

A report from Insider Gaming suggests that Rockstar may have let one terminally ill fan play Grand Theft Auto 6 before it was finished.

Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 trailers

The GTA 6 trailer was supposed to release on December 5, 2023, but dropped a day early after a leaked version appeared online. Regardless, we now have our first look at the world and characters.

GTA 6 will feature a pair of protagonists, rather than a single character or a trio, as in past games. First is Lucia, who appears to have a criminal background based on her prison uniform in the trailer. The other lead is Jason, her partner and lover on the outside.

The official Grand Theft Auto 6 website gives us a better idea of who our main characters are. Jason is described as more easy-going and less eager to live a life of crime, but he was raised in that culture. After leaving the army in his teens, he became a drug runner. Until he met Lucia.

Lucia Caminos was raised to be a fighter, literally. After being sent to prison for fighting, she got out and started being more careful about how she earned money for her mom. She hopes to be smarter about it this time so she doesn’t get caught again.

The setting might be the most important part of any GTA game. For GTA 6, Rockstar is bringing us back to Vice City. This time, we’ll see it in the modern day, rather than the late 1980s as before. The trailer shows various environments, including beaches, busy city streets, suburbs, and swamps.

Trailer 2 focuses much more on the characters and is likely to show scenes from the game’s early hours. Jason does some errands around the city before picking Lucia up from prison. From there, we get a taste of the city, its people, and a few characters who will likely play bigger roles in the story.

Cal Hampton is one such character. He’s a friend of Jason and a conspiracy theorist who spends his free time listening to Coast Guard radio traffic. Bobbi Ike is a mutual friend of Cal and Jason.

He’s a local legend in Vice City for going from underground crime lord to building a legitimate real estate empire, a strip club, and a record label. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s completely left his life of crime behind.

One of Bobbi’s rising stars in the music scene is Dre’quan Priest. He worked on the streets, selling drugs to make ends meet, until he could pursue his dream of breaking into the music industry.

The Real Dimez, Bae-Luxe, and Roxy are a pair of viral stars who have been inseparable since high school. They turned their days scamming drug dealers into a profitable social media career.

One of the most interesting characters we’re looking forward to meeting is Raul Bautista. He’s a professional criminal who has robbed multiple banks and is always looking for the next big score.

Another possible ally is Brian Heder, an older figure with years of experience. He used to be a smuggler and still keeps one foot in the business through his boatyard. That said, he no longer wants direct involvement. He prefers to stay in the background and avoid personal risk.

Even though Lucia and Jason have only just been released from prison, they quickly slip back into criminal activity.

The trailer shows them carrying out armed robberies, trading gunfire, and speeding through car chases. It also hints at close combat, including fistfights that break out mid-flight. The scale is wide, and the action shows no clear limits.

While the trailer avoids spelling out the full story, one thing is clear. What starts as a simple job does not stay that way. Jason and Lucia soon find themselves drawn into a vast conspiracy that spans the entire state of Leonida. The story appears to focus on how fast things spiral once they are in too deep.

Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 platforms

Rockstar has only confirmed GTA 6 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S at launch. There is no plan to release it on older consoles or the current Nintendo Switch. The absence of a PC version at launch also follows a familiar pattern.

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GTA 5 arrived on PC two years after its console release. Red Dead Redemption 2 made the jump in a little over a year. Based on that history, a PC version of GTA 6 is likely, but it will probably come later rather than at launch.

As for a possible Switch 2 release, nothing is confirmed yet. Take Two has already shown support for the platform, which keeps the idea open. If the hardware can handle it, GTA 6 could eventually become a portable experience. For now, though, consoles are the only sure bet.

Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 gameplay

The trailer did not show actual gameplay for GTA 6. It was fully cinematic. Even so, the series has followed a clear gameplay style since GTA 3 moved everything into 3D. Because of that history, it is easy to form a good idea of how the game will feel to play.

To be clear, GTA 6 will include the core elements the series is known for. Shooting, driving, and criminal activity are all expected. The trailer hints at armed robberies, fast car chases, and a nightlife filled with parties. These moments closely align with what players have experienced in past titles.

Beyond what the trailer shows, details are limited. Most assumptions come from long-standing series patterns and older leaks.

One feature that is very likely to return is the option to switch between first-person and third-person views. This feature was added to GTA 5 and was available from day one in Red Dead Redemption 2. Based on Rockstar’s recent approach, it makes sense for GTA 6 to include the same flexibility.

The trailer suggests that GTA 6’s world will feel more crowded and alive than ever. NPCs look distinct and react naturally to their surroundings, making the environment feel dynamic. Beyond the usual shooting and car chaos, the game will likely offer more ways to engage with everyday characters.

With such a large world, players can also expect many side activities, minigames, and distractions. Each GTA release has added more content, and it seems GTA 6 will continue that trend, giving players even more to explore and enjoy.

Former Rockstar developer Mike York, speaking on Kiwi Talkz, suggests we shouldn’t expect GTA 6 to run at 60 FPS on consoles, including the PS5 Pro.

According to him, the game will likely target a locked 30 FPS on consoles, meaning it won’t drop below that. He added that the framerate could occasionally rise above 30 FPS, but hitting a consistent 60 FPS at launch is unlikely.

York also mentioned that once the game is released on PC, optimization and newer graphics cards could allow it to run closer to 60 FPS.

Specifically about the PS5, York said the initial release probably won’t hit 60 FPS unless an AI upscaler or similar technology is used. Even on the PS5 Pro, a true 60 FPS experience at launch seems unlikely. The focus appears to be on stability and consistent performance over raw framerate.

While York did work at Rockstar, he left the company in 2017, so he may not know the current state of GTA 6 or the team’s final plans.

The second trailer is mostly cinematic, but it gives hints about gameplay mechanics. Driving and shooting are clearly present, and the footage of Lucia kickboxing suggests a more detailed melee system may be included.

Setpieces are back and appear bigger than before. One standout scene shows a car dragging a crate or safe, clearly inspired by high-octane action movies.

The trailer also gives a glimpse of some locations players will be able to explore:

Vice City
Mount Kalaga
Grassrivers
Port Gellhorn
Leonida Keys
Ambrosia

It’s likely the game will feature many more locations and points of interest, giving players plenty to discover as they explore the world.

Will Grand Theft Auto 6 have GTA Online?

One of the biggest changes in GTA V was the addition of GTA Online. This mode became the heart of the game, attracting millions of players and generating significant revenue. While the base story is strong, GTA Online is what has kept GTA V popular nearly 10 years after its release.

Because of that success, it’s very likely GTA 6 will include multiplayer features. Whether the game will be entirely online or offer a separate multiplayer mode like GTA V isn’t confirmed yet, but an online component seems almost certain.

Given how much GTA Online grew and continues to thrive, it’s safe to assume Rockstar won’t remove multiplayer from the next game.

Interestingly, GTA 6’s version of GTA Online might not use dedicated servers. Insider Tez reported that Take-Two rejected the idea a few years ago, calling it too expensive to implement.

Another big question is whether GTA Online will launch with the main game or come later. GTA Online arrived about a month after GTA V, while Red Dead Online took nearly seven months.

For GTA 6, a delay of a few weeks seems more likely. This would let players focus on the main story first and then reintroduce them to the online mode. It could also serve as a second launch, generating new attention and headlines.

One rumor spotted on a GTA forum by a known leaker named Tez2 suggests that GTA Online will be sold separately from the base game.

They claim that “GTA 6 will be the first game where online is sold separately at launch, while story mode will be part of the full package that covers both.

They will have to factor the online standalone price into the total cost. What portion of the base price will be the online price? And what would be the story mode upgrade price for those who’ve bought the online standalone?”

Take this with a large grain of salt since the leaker doesn’t say where they got this information. But it is something Rockstar may consider due to the popularity of GTA Online.