GTA 6 Everything We Know About the Most Anticipated Game Ever Made Alessio Palumbo • at EDT Updated At a Glance In Development Developers: Rockstar Games Publishers: Take-Two Interactive Franchise: Grand Theft Auto Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S and X Genres: Action/Adventure Initial Release: November 19, 2026 Game Rating N/A Awaiting Release Overview News Guides Interviews Grand Theft Auto 6, or GTA 6 for short, is quite simply the most anticipated (and most expensive, in all likelihood) product in the history of entertainment. It follows Grand Theft Auto 5, the second-best-selling game of all time (by verified sales figures) with 225 million units sold, after a 13-year wait that nearly spanned two full console generations. The industry and gaming fanbase are literally waiting with bated breath to see what developer Rockstar Games has created after such a long development time and such an incredible amount of resources invested in the project. Rockstar North alone spent nearly $3 billion just in staff costs between 2019 and 2025. Keep in mind that the confirmed GTA 6 gameplay information remains extremely limited due to Rockstar's characteristically tight communications strategy, but between official material, leaks, and well-sourced speculation, a meaningful picture is slowly emerging. Release Date, Platforms, Pricing Genre, Setting, Protagonists Gameplay Features and Mechanics Tech and Specs Release Date, Platforms, Pricing Preliminary work on the game started all the way back in 2014, after the launch of GTA 5, but actual development didn't begin until late 2018, following the launch of Red Dead Redemption 2. Following a long string of rumors, Rockstar Games published the first GTA 6 trailer on December 4, 2023, as a celebration of the studio's 25th anniversary. The trailer broke the record for the most views on a non-music YouTube video in the first 12 hours, with 46 million views, and within 24 hours, it became the third most viewed video of all time with 93 million views, trailing only two music videos from Korean boy band BTS. The debut trailer included a 2025 release window, but in May 2025, the studio pushed it to  . Six months later, Rockstar delayed it again to its current target of November 19, 2026. Each delay was accompanied by a brief Rockstar statement citing the need for additional polish time, and the second delay sent Take-Two's stock down as much as 18% on the day of announcement. In February 2026, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed the November 19 date remains on track and that the marketing campaign will begin in Summer 2026. Just like its predecessors since the days of GTA 3, the game launches on consoles first, specifically PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X. A PC version has not been officially confirmed, though the series' track record shows it is absolutely on the way. Based on the usual GTA cadence, a PC release in late 2027 or early 2028 would be a reasonable expectation. In early 2026, a Polish source claimed that GTA 6 would be digital-only at launch to avoid spoilers. However, a few days later, Zelnick denied such a plan during a quarterly call with investors. The retail version will therefore be launched alongside the digital one. Pricing has not been officially announced and remains one of the main topics of speculation surrounding the game. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has repeatedly declined to name a price, stating only that Rockstar aims to "deliver more value than what we charge". In August 2025, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter predicted that Grand Theft Auto 6 could be the first $100 game, but speaking to , analyst Rhys Elliott said it would be a bad idea and predicted a regular $70-$80 price. Genre, Setting, Protagonists GTA 6 returns to Vice City, Rockstar's fictional analog of Miami, for the first time since the 2002 original. The city now sits within the broader state of Leonida, Rockstar's version of Florida, and the full map is believed to encompass significantly more territory than GTA V's Los Santos and Blaine County combined. Community mapping projects using leaked coordinate data estimate the landmass at over 2 times the size of GTA V's map. Rockstar's official website confirms multiple distinct regions: Vice City — the primary urban environment, modeled on Miami with waterways, Art Deco architecture, high-rises, and the iconic beachfront Leonida Keys — a chain of island communities south of Vice City, where the game's story begins Grassrivers — Rockstar's version of the Everglades, featuring swamps and subtropical wilderness Port Gellhorn — a working port and industrial area Ambrosia — a confirmed additional locale Mount Kalaga National Park — a mountainous natural region in the north of the map Unlike Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, this game is set in the modern day and leans heavily into the social-media-saturated, influencer-driven culture of contemporary Florida. Both official trailers establish a tone that mixes the criminal underworld of the franchise's roots with a satirical portrait of typical 2020s American excesses, such as tourists recording crime scenes on smartphones, OnlyFans-inspired characters, and sprawling luxury real estate sitting right alongside poverty-stricken trailers. GTA 6 features two playable protagonists for the first time in a mainline entry. According to Rockstar, when an easy score goes wrong, Jason and Lucia 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." Their story appears to draw clear parallels with Bonnie and Clyde, two world-renowned criminals whose relationship and shared fate drive the narrative. Like them, they are romantically involved. Jason Duval grew up around grifters and crooks, and after a stint in the Army spent trying to shake off a troubled adolescence, ended up in the Leonida Keys doing what he knows best: running errands for the local drug trade. His landlord, Brian Heder, lets him live rent-free at one of his properties in exchange for help with local shakedowns. Jason's official bio describes him as someone who wants an easy life, but things just keep getting harder. Lucia Caminos is Rockstar's first female lead in the GTA series. Her father taught her to fight from an early age, and a life of fighting for her family ultimately landed her in Leonida Penitentiary. She enters the story fresh out of prison and determined to only make smart moves going forward, with a life alongside Jason representing her potential way out. Supporting Cast The official GTA 6 website reveals a colorful ensemble of side characters orbiting Jason and Lucia: Real Dimez — Childhood friends Bae-Luxe and Roxy, who parlayed their street savvy into viral rap tracks and a relentless social media presence. After an early hit with local rapper DWNPLY, they're now signed to Only Raw Records, hoping to recapture that momentum. Brian Heder — Jason's landlord and employer, a veteran drug runner from the golden age of Keys smuggling who still moves product through his boat yard with his third wife, Lori. Rockstar describes him as someone who looks like a Leonida beach bum, but moves like a great white shark. Cal Hampton — Jason's friend and fellow associate of Brian's, a paranoid homebody who spends his days snooping on Coast Guard comms. Rockstar's description frames him as "at the low tide of America and happy there". Raul Bautista — A seasoned, charming bank robber always hunting for talent willing to take the biggest risks. His recklessness is apparently a ticking clock: sooner or later, his crew will have to double down or pull their chips from the table. Boobie Ike — A Vice City legend who transformed street life into a legitimate empire spanning real estate, a strip club, and a recording studio. His current passion project is a partne...