Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look (2026)

Grand Theft Auto VI is an upcoming action-adventure game developed and published by Rockstar Games. It is due to be the eighth main Grand Theft Auto game, following Grand Theft Auto V (2013), and the sixteenth entry overall. Set within the fictional US state of Leonida, based on Florida, the story follows the romantic criminal duo of Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Players will be able to freely roam Leonida's open world, which features the Miami-inspired Vice City.

Early development began after Red Dead Redemption 2's release in 2018, following years of preliminary work, and principal production began in 2020. Rockstar's worldwide development teams more than doubled since Red Dead Redemption 2. Miami and its surrounding areas were extensively researched for the game's world, which parodies 2020s American culture. The protagonists' dynamic is inspired by Bonnie and Clyde, and the non-player characters were written to ensure players experience different areas of Vice City.

Following years of speculation and anticipation, Rockstar confirmed in February 2022 that the game was in development. That September, footage from unfinished versions was leaked in what journalists described as one of the biggest leaks in the history of the video game industry. Grand Theft Auto VI was formally revealed in December 2023. Following two delays and further leaks, it is scheduled to be released on 19 November 2026 for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Gameplay

Grand Theft Auto VI is a single-player, action-adventure game set within an open world that can be played from a third-person view as Jason Duval or Lucia Caminos. Players can choose to fight non-player characters (NPCs), steal vehicles, rob establishments or get into high-speed chases with police officers. In free roam, players have several options for activities, such as skydiving, wrestling, basketball, exercising, and scuba diving.

Throughout the game, players will be able to gain or lose weight as both Jason and Lucia, and if the player stays awake as either character for days on end, it will become visible on their faces. The game will have a Criminal Profile rating system that tracks each playable character's reputation based on their actions, similar to the honour system previously used in Red Dead Redemption 2. Rockstar has stated this system is not meant to portray Lucia and Jason as do-gooders, but will track whether each character keeps their crimes professional or commits unnecessary violence with in-game consequences that reflect their reputation.

In free roam, as Jason or Lucia, players can choose to split the two up to go do their own activities or stay, hang out and do activities together. Their relationship will depend on the player's actions and, according to Rockstar, will be optional. Grand Theft Auto VI will feature a fully fleshed-out social media app called Snapmatic, which is speculated to feature video sharing with other players. The app is meant to parody 2020s social media trends and apps such as TikTok and Instagram. Players will have the option to change the appearance of Jason and Lucia, such as changing the hair, clothes and accessories.

Setting and characters

Grand Theft Auto VI is set within the fictional US state of Leonida, based on Florida. The map includes Vice City, Grassrivers, and the Leonida Keys (inspired by Miami, the Everglades, and the Florida Keys, respectively), as well as Ambrosia, Mount Kalaga National Park, and Port Gellhorn; the map is also reported to be three times larger than the playable area of Red Dead Redemption 2. The game world parodies 2020s American culture, with satirical depictions of social media and influencer culture, law enforcement tactics and technology like police body cameras, and references to Internet memes such as Florida Man.

The story follows a criminal couple: Jason Duval, who worked for local drug runners in the Leonida Keys after serving in the Army; and Lucia Caminos, the series' first non-optional female protagonist, who was imprisoned at Leonida Penitentiary after fighting for her family from Liberty City. Following a failed bank heist, the duo encounters a state-wide conspiracy and are forced to protect each other.

Other characters include: Cal Hampton, Jason's paranoid friend; Boobie Ike, who runs a business empire in Vice City; Dre'Quan Priest, owner of the record label Only Raw Records with Boobie; Bae-Luxe and Roxy, a musical duo signed to Only Raw under the name Real Dimez; Raul Bautista, a seasoned bank robber; and Brian Heder, a longtime drug runner in the Keys and Jason's landlord.

Development

Rockstar Games began preliminary work on Grand Theft Auto VI in 2014 after Grand Theft Auto V's release, with early development starting in late 2018 following Red Dead Redemption 2. Principal production began in 2020, code-named Project Americas. Rockstar's worldwide development teams more than doubled since Red Dead Redemption 2's release. They avoided their standard crunch practices and making jokes about marginalised groups in the way prior games did. The game is expected to use the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine. It is the first main Grand Theft Auto game since the 1997 original (and the first overall since 2004's Advance) not to be written by Dan Houser, who left Rockstar in 2020.

Resources were reallocated from Red Dead Online and planned remasters in 2022 to prioritise development. Rumours and analysts suggested the budget surpassed US$1–2 billion, which would make it the most expensive game ever developed, though the figure remains unverified. Rockstar requested employees cease remote work and return to offices from April 2024 "for productivity and security" as the release date neared. The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) criticised Rockstar for contradicting promises to maintain flexible working conditions; employees were concerned that effects to health and morale could prompt resignations and crunch, especially as managers still maintained flexibility.

Rockstar fired 34 employees in October 2025, due to public discussion and distribution of confidential information. The IWGB accused Rockstar of union busting, stating the employees were attempting to unionise with labour organisers. While not yet confirmed, it is highly speculated that actors Dylan Rourke and Manni L. Perez are behind Jason and Lucia.

Research and design

The development team felt pressure after a decade of anticipation, though Rob Nelson, Rockstar North's head of development and co–studio head, noted internal pressure was greater; they sought to expand and improve upon their previous games, analysing them "with a critical eye" to recognise limitations from resources, technology, and time. The game has "a Bonnie and Clyde–type narrative", in contrast to previous series entries wherein romantic relationships were deprioritised, according to Rupert Humphries, Rockstar's senior vice-president of narrative. Nelson wanted characters to enable player self-expression while retaining their own distinct personalities and journeys. Characters were written to ensure the protagonists could experience all levels of Vice City's parties, based on Miami's hip-hop scene, from house parties and local bars to high-end clubs.

Miami and its surrounding areas were extensively researched for the game, and a dedicated research team was based in the city; Nelson said that "Florida and Miami have perhaps one of the most diverse and interesting populations in the world". The team organised field research trips, meeting with "anyone notorious or influential who'll take our calls", including law enforcement, club promoters, former criminals, and gun dealers.

The developers cross-referenced their stories with journalism and books to "get to the heart of which characters will bring the city ... to life", according to Jamie-Lee Lloyd, senior art director for characters, "while filtering them through the unique lens of GTA". The writers wanted to approach the city's culture with an open mind and avoid cynicism in character depictions, inserting what writer Michael Wiafe called "a sense of discovery" instead of repeated clichés. The team enjoyed Miami's music, particularly Miami bass and artists like Kodak Black and Sexyy Red.

One team at Rockstar's Los Angeles studio is mostly dedicated to working on NPCs, and the vehicle handling team consists of some race-car drivers. The developers created additional pipelines and tools to expand the NPC population, with several teams collaborating to ensure their appearance, movement, and interactions make them feel alive. Rockstar engaged more than 50 street artists to design murals for the game, including for in-game locations like Stockyard, based on Miami's Wynwood neighbourhood. Stu Petri, vice-president of 2D/UI design, wanted to "build a vibrant, believable culture", ensuring the in-game brands served a purpose beyond simple jokes to "reflect the aspirations, aesthetics, and lifestyles" of the population. Rockstar worked with Miami-based stylist Jillian Carr from 2023 to design a "fashion ecosystem", imitating Miami's nuanced and developing fashion trends. She noted that "Vice City is built around vanity", reflected in the tourism, celebrities, and social media. Rockstar also hired an external animation studio specifically to produce several hours of original in-game TV shows and media.

Release

Details about Grand Theft Auto VI emerged from insider reports several years before its announcement, and the lack of official acknowledgement received media attention. Rockstar confirmed development was "well underway" on 4 February 2022. The game became highly anticipated, for which it won awards at the Game Awards and Golden Joystick Awards in both 2024 and 2025; scammers used the anticipation to promote malware and fraud through false promises of early access. A meme indicated bemusement that surprising events occurred "before GTA 6". Some publishers rescheduled games to avoid competition; Jason Schreier of Bloomberg News called it "a massive game of 4D chess playing out across the entire video game industry". Industry figures hoped the game would set new pricing trends, and analysts predicted record-breaking revenue.

The game is planned to be released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S systems, with no Windows release scheduled as of September 2026. A former Rockstar producer said the studio typically develops for consoles first rather than personal computers because "it's always better to start with the constraints and then extend". In August 2026, Rockstar confirmed the game would run at 30 frames per second (FPS) on both consoles at launch.

The first trailer in December 2023 revealed a 2025 release window. Following March 2024 reports that the game was at risk of delay, Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive said it remained on schedule for late 2025. Employees were doubtful due to the amount of remaining work, and in May 2025, the game was delayed to 26 May 2026. In November 2025, the week after 34 employees were fired, Rockstar delayed the game to 19 November 2026, citing additional polish. Journalists noted the firings did not cause the delay but could impact deadlines; a Rockstar North employee said morale was "at rock bottom".

Promotion

Rockstar announced that the first trailer was set to premiere in December 2023 for the company's 25th anniversary. A low-quality version was leaked one day early on 4 December; Rockstar published the official version in response, revealing the title, protagonists, setting, release window, and consoles. The trailer broke some YouTube records within the first day, and surpassed the lifetime viewership of Grand Theft Auto V's 2011 reveal trailer within two days, with 101 million views. It spawned several fan-created recreations, and its featured song, Tom Petty's "Love Is a Long Road", increased in popularity.

A second trailer was released on 6 May 2025, alongside a website update with 70 screenshots and several character and location descriptions. The trailer, recorded on the PlayStation 5, features the Pointer Sisters' song "Hot Together", Wang Chung's "Everybody Have Fun Tonight", "Child Support" by Zenglen, and Tammy Wynette's "Talkin' to Myself Again". It received a record 475 million views across all platforms within 24 hours, and won Best Game Trailer at the Golden Joystick Awards in 2025.

Rockstar unveiled the cover art and special editions on 18 June 2026: the Ultimate Edition grants additional in-game clothing, hairstyles, locations, missions, tattoos, vehicles, and weapons, while preorders receive the Vintage Vice City Pack, featuring items inspired by Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) and its protagonist, Tommy Vercetti. Whilst this content would be locked behind the Ultimate Edition, Rockstar confirmed to Kinda Funny that there would be no microtransactions in either version of the game on launch. Additionally, Rockstar also confirmed that there is no generative AI in the game. Physical versions, containing download codes in lieu of discs to prevent leaks and reselling, are set to be available in stores on 12 November, allowing pre-loading a week before the game unlocks. Players and journalists criticised content locked behind special editions and the lack of discs, citing ownership restrictions, and some retailers refused to stock the game. Preorders opened on 25 June; Take-Two called sales "unprecedented and astonishing", with most opting for the Ultimate Edition.

Preorders initiated the game's marketing campaign, for which Rockstar partnered with several social media platforms and companies like Netflix, Inc. and PlayStation. Dazed ran a Grand Theft Auto VI cover story for their September issue, published online on 26 August. An "extended look" at the game premiered on Netflix on 27 August, several hours before its YouTube release, followed by previews by content creators; Netflix approached Rockstar with the idea, wanting to pursue popular cultural moments, and journalists noted the partnership signalled that the game is "a major entertainment tentpole". Netflix and Twitch servers experienced technical issues upon the premiere, due to a huge viewership demand. Miami-Dade County officials have also approached Rockstar with a pitch to extend the marketing campaign to various parts of Miami, though some have expressed concern of glorifying the city's history of crime.

Leaks

Grand Theft Auto VI went through two major leaks during its development: in 2022, 90 short videos showing early development testing were published, and in 2026, approximately three months before the game's release, sixteen extended videos as well as the in-game map were leaked across a nine day period leading up to the Netflix extended look trailer on 27 August, showcasing gameplay as well as in-game cinematics captured from an apparent unauthorized playable build.

2022: "teapotuberhacker"

A user known as "teapotuberhacker" published 90 videos to the website GTAForums on 18 September 2022 showing 50 minutes of work-in-progress game footage. The hacker downloaded the files from Rockstar's internal Slack groups and threatened to publish source code, assets, and internal builds of Grand Theft Auto V and VI. Take-Two submitted takedowns of YouTube videos and forum threads showing the footage. Journalists described the event as one of the biggest leaks in video game history, called "a nightmare for Rockstar" by Schreier and "a PR disaster" by Jefferies Group analyst Andrew Uerkwitz. Several developers offered sympathies and shared work-in-progress footage of their games in solidarity. Rockstar lamented the manner in which the game was first demonstrated. Rockstar said in court that the incident cost the company $5 million and thousands of staff hours to recover and prompted increased cybersecurity measures.

A 17-year-old boy from Oxfordshire—identified as "teapotuberhacker" and a key member of the group Lapsus$—was arrested by the City of London Police on 22 September as part of an investigation supported by the National Cyber Crime Unit and American federal law enforcement. While on bail for hacking EE and Nvidia and under police protection at a Travelodge hotel, he breached Rockstar using a mobile phone, television, and Fire TV Stick, and threatened to release the source code in a Slack message to all Rockstar staff. Appearing before a youth court, he pleaded guilty to breaching bail conditions and not guilty to computer misuse.

In mid-2023, he stood trial at Southwark Crown Court for twelve offences, including six counts of computer misuse, three of blackmail, and two of fraud. He was deemed unfit to stand trial due to his autism; a jury determined he had committed the acts, and a judge placed him under an indefinite hospital order in December for being a high public risk as he was violent in custody and expressed intent to continue committing cybercrimes. He was moved to a prison in July 2026 to await a new trial in November.

2026: "CyberLeek"

The in-game map and several minutes of footage were leaked in August 2026 by an account known as "CyberLeek", who threatened to release more material unless plans were changed regarding special edition–only content and lack of discs. Journalists compared the demands to the Stop Killing Games movement, though some expressed concern that it was a cryptocurrency scam owing to a watermark on released video promoting their "$CYBERLEEK" meme coin. CyberLeek burned coins valued at more than US$1 million in response, claiming to raise money for a "secret project" to fight anti-consumerist publishing practices.

Some footage suggested CyberLeek had a playable build of the game, with voting via paid tokens determining which clips leaked next; at least sixteen videos were leaked over nine days by 26 August. Some leaked footage raised concerns about a possible graphical downgrade from the first trailer. Take-Two filed subpoena requests with Discord, Microsoft, and X Corp. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeking records to identify CyberLeek. Popular Grand Theft Auto streamer DarkViperAU's Discord server was among few that were subpoenaed.

Rockstar publicly acknowledged the leaks on 26 August, calling them "heartbreaking for our team", and apologised for the delays in development and marketing. On 27 August, media reported that CyberLeek had withdrawn roughly $268,000 in transaction fees to four different crypto wallets hours ahead of the Netflix reveal, leading to the collapse in value of the meme coin and speculation the leaks had ended.

Other leaks

In January 2025, a Reddit user posted a photograph and two videos of a PlayStation 5 development kit running the game, taken at Rockstar San Diego in mid-2021. After the post was deleted, Polygon's Ian Walker wrote that it revealed no new information and called it the "worst leak of all time". The leaks were referenced in the opening of the second trailer in May, wherein Jason is "just fixing some leaks". In November, some development footage appeared in a former Rockstar animator's showreel.

Notes

References

External links

Official website