Quick answer (verified October 25, 2026) - Release date: Grand Theft Auto VI launches Thursday, November 19, 2026. Rockstar's official site, Take-Two's investor filings and the October 15, 2026 launch trailer all confirm the date. - Platforms: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. No PC version has been announced. - Price: $79.99 Standard Edition and $99.99 Ultimate Edition (Take-Two press release, June 24, 2026). - Pre-load: From November 12, 2026 for digital pre-orders. The physical box, which holds a download code, goes on sale the same day. - Setting: Leonida, Rockstar's fictional Florida, and a modern-day Vice City. - Protagonists: Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. - Delays: First "2025," then May 26, 2026 (announced May 2, 2025), then November 19, 2026 (announced November 6, 2025). - Rating: ESRB M (Mature 17+), with an In-Game Purchases notice. - Online: Rockstar calls GTA VI "a single-player experience" and has not announced an online mode.
Grand Theft Auto VI is the first new numbered Grand Theft Auto since GTA V launched on September 17, 2013. That's a gap of more than 13 years, the longest in the series. This guide uses only what Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive have officially said, plus reporting from established outlets including Bloomberg, Polygon, GameSpot, IGN, Kotaku, Variety and the BBC. We don't use leaked footage or rumors. Anything that's reported but not officially confirmed is labeled.
If you came here for the real names behind the series' characters, browse our Grand Theft Auto Characters section. It lists characters from every main game since the original 1997 Grand Theft Auto.
Table of Contents
- GTA 6 release date: the full timeline
- Why it took so long: the development story
- Platforms and the PC question
- Price, editions and pre-order bonuses
- Setting: Leonida and Vice City
- GTA 6 story: what Rockstar has revealed
- GTA 6 characters: Jason, Lucia and the official cast
- GTA 6 features and gameplay
- The trailers and their records
- Music, radio and the score
- Rating and content
- Take-Two's stakes: what the earnings say
- What still isn't confirmed
- FAQ
- Sources
GTA 6 Release Date: The Full Timeline
The official GTA 6 release date is Thursday, November 19, 2026. The banner on rockstargames.com/VI says "Coming November 19, 2026." Getting there took several announcements and two delays.
2022: Rockstar confirms the game and the leak hits
In February 2022, Rockstar used its Newswire to confirm that development on the next Grand Theft Auto was "well underway." That September, a large amount of early development footage leaked online after a network intrusion. Rockstar said the early work-in-progress footage didn't reflect the finished game. A UK court later dealt with the hacker responsible. This article doesn't use anything that came only from the leak.
December 4, 2023: Trailer 1 arrives a day early
Rockstar had scheduled the first trailer for the morning of Tuesday, December 5, 2023. On Monday, December 4, a low-quality copy appeared on X from a burner account with a "Buy #BTC" watermark. CBC News reported that it drew more than a million views before it was removed. Rockstar posted on social media, "Our trailer has leaked so please watch the real thing on YouTube." It premiered the official trailer that evening, about 15 hours early, according to CBC and The New York Times.
The 90-second trailer gave the game its name, showed Vice City, introduced Lucia and ended on a 2025 release window. Take-Two's news release confirmed it was coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and didn't mention PC (Polygon).
2024: the "Fall 2025" window
During 2024, Take-Two narrowed the window to Fall 2025 in its investor communications. GameSpot later described the game as having been "previously set for release in Fall 2025." As Variety reported, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told the magazine in February 2025, "We've announced a pretty narrow window... So I think our view is that right now, that's fine."
May 2, 2025: first delay, to May 26, 2026
On Friday, May 2, 2025, Rockstar announced on its website that GTA VI would launch on May 26, 2026. The statement, quoted in full by The Verge, PC Gamer, GameSpot and Variety, read in part:
"We are very sorry that this is later than you expected. The interest and excitement surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team... With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve."
Take-Two backed the decision. Strauss Zelnick said, as GameSpot quoted: "We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a groundbreaking, blockbuster entertainment experience that exceeds audience expectations."
Few insiders were surprised. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier wrote that "nobody I've talked to at Rockstar has believed Fall 2025 was a real window for a very long time now," citing "too much work, not enough time, and what appears to be a real desire from management to avoid brutal crunch" (quoted by Ars Technica and GameSpot). Ars Technica worked out that a May 26, 2026 launch would be 4,634 days after GTA V. By comparison, GTA IV and GTA V were 1,967 days apart.
May 6, 2025: Trailer 2
Four days after the delay, Rockstar released Trailer 2 and a big update to its website. The update added the official character and location profiles quoted later in this article.
November 6, 2025: second delay, to November 19, 2026
On November 6, 2025, just ahead of Take-Two's quarterly earnings, Rockstar posted "Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Set to Launch November 19, 2026" on its Newswire. Polygon reprinted the full statement:
"Grand Theft Auto VI will now release on Thursday, November 19, 2026. We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve. We want to thank you again for your patience and support. While the wait is a little longer, we are incredibly excited for players to experience the sprawling state of Leonida and a return to modern day Vice City."
Reuters reported that Take-Two shares fell more than 7% in extended trading after the news.
June 24–25, 2026: pre-orders open
On June 24, 2026, Take-Two announced that pre-orders would open at midnight local time on June 25, 2026. The release confirmed the November 19 launch, the prices, the bonuses and the November 12 pre-load date.
August 27, 2026: "An Extended Look"
A Rockstar Newswire post announced Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look. It premiered on Netflix on August 27, 2026 and later appeared on Rockstar's YouTube channel and the official site.
October 15, 2026: the launch trailer
Rockstar released the official Launch Trailer on October 15, 2026, the date shown on its launch trailer page. GameSpot reported that the 90-second video was "captured entirely in-game from a PlayStation 5" and ends with "Grand Theft Auto VI arrives November 19."
Status on October 25, 2026: No further delay has been announced. Take-Two's next quarterly earnings are expected in early November, and that's the last likely point for any schedule news before launch.
| Date | Official milestone | |---|---| | Feb 2022 | Rockstar confirms the next GTA is in development | | Dec 4, 2023 | Trailer 1 (released early after a leak), "2025" window | | 2024 | Window narrowed to Fall 2025 | | May 2, 2025 | Delayed to May 26, 2026 | | May 6, 2025 | Trailer 2 and character/location profiles | | Nov 6, 2025 | Delayed to Nov 19, 2026 | | Jun 25, 2026 | Pre-orders open | | Aug 27, 2026 | An Extended Look premieres on Netflix | | Oct 15, 2026 | Launch Trailer | | Nov 12, 2026 | Pre-load opens; physical code-in-box on sale | | Nov 19, 2026 | Launch |
Why It Took So Long: The Development Story
Rockstar rarely talks about how it makes its games, so most of what's known comes from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier.
"Project Americas" and a culture overhaul (Bloomberg, 2022)
In a July 27, 2022 report, "Rockstar Games Cleaned Up Its Frat-Boy Culture — and Grand Theft Auto, Too," Schreier interviewed more than 20 current and former employees. He reported that the next game would have a playable female protagonist who is Latina, one of two leads in a story influenced by Bonnie and Clyde. More than a year later, Trailer 1 bore that out with Lucia and Jason.
The report described big changes inside the company after complaints about crunch during Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018. Those included converting contractors to full-time staff, removing managers employees saw as abusive, new mental-health and leave benefits, and a "flexitime" policy that let staff take time off for every extra hour worked. Bloomberg reported that management had promised excessive overtime wouldn't be required for GTA VI. One employee called the result "a boys' club transformed into a real company." Game Informer's summary of the report added that the project was codenamed "Project Americas" and had been in some form of development since 2014. Rockstar declined to comment to Bloomberg.
"Inside the Making of Grand Theft Auto 6" (Bloomberg, 2026)
Bloomberg's 2026 feature, "Inside the Making of Grand Theft Auto 6," reported that the game took more than eight years to make, including two delays. It also described a phase that development lead Rob Nelson called "a dark period," when the game's vision wasn't yet clear. According to the feature, Rockstar had 2,441 employees when Red Dead Redemption II shipped in 2018 and has since grown to 4,711 staff across 12 offices. Along the way it dealt with a reckoning over work-life balance, a "disastrous series of leaks" and accusations of union-busting after it fired 34 employees over misconduct allegations.
The fired staff
The 34 firings are still disputed. Rockstar says they were over misconduct, and the IWGB union says they were union-busting. The case was in a Glasgow employment tribunal in autumn 2026. It's part of the backdrop to the launch but has no known effect on the game itself.
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S and the PC Question
GTA VI is confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S only. Take-Two's June 2026 release says it will be sold on the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Rockstar Games Store and at retailers. Rockstar's site says it "plays best on PlayStation 5," which reflects its marketing deal with Sony. The PlayStation Store lists the game as PS5 Pro Enhanced, with DualSense vibration and trigger-effect support.
PC: Rockstar has not announced a PC version. Take-Two's August 7, 2026 earnings release lists the platforms as "PS5, Xbox Series X|S" only. Based on Rockstar's track record, a PC version is likely eventually: GTA V reached PC about 19 months after its PS3/Xbox 360 launch, and Red Dead Redemption 2 about 13 months after. That's an inference from past releases, not an announcement. Treat any PC date you see as speculation.
Switch 2 and last-gen consoles: Rockstar hasn't announced either.
Price, Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses
All of this comes from Take-Two's June 24, 2026 press release and the PlayStation Store listing.
- Standard Edition: $79.99. Take-Two describes it as "a single-player experience set in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the series yet."
- Ultimate Edition: $99.99. "An exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and action threaded across all aspects of Jason and Lucia's story." The official screenshot gallery shows some of the Ultimate Edition items, including personalized weapon variants, "Vice City Style" outfits, a Ganado retro build, Sara's Unisex Salon, Electric Fang Tattoo, a '67 Vapid Dominator Buggy and a Classic Car Collection.
- Vintage Vice City Pack: Included with all pre-orders and purchases before November 20, 2026, according to Take-Two. Rockstar's site says it offers "unique benefits that flash back to when the neon burned brightest." Gallery images show outfits, hairstyles and a weapon pattern.
- One free month of GTA+ comes with digital pre-orders. It gives access to GTA Online and the GTA+ Games Library. The PlayStation Store says it must be claimed by March 31, 2027 and then renews at the regular monthly price unless you cancel.
- Physical edition: Take-Two says the physical version contains "a download code inside the box." It goes on sale November 12 so buyers can pre-load.
Prices vary by country. For example, Japan's PlayStation Store lists ¥9,800 Standard and ¥12,280 Ultimate, according to Zaikei Shimbun.
Setting: The State of Leonida and Vice City
GTA VI returns to Vice City, the series' version of Miami. The original 1997 Grand Theft Auto first visited it, GTA: Vice City (2002) set it in 1986, and Vice City Stories (2006) set it in 1984. This time it's present-day Vice City inside a whole fictional state, Leonida, which is Rockstar's version of Florida. Rockstar's tagline is "Vice City, USA. The darkest side of the sunniest place in America."
Rockstar's "Only in Leonida" pages describe six areas. The quoted lines are Rockstar's own, from the official site as reprinted by Gematsu on May 6, 2025. The real-world comparisons are what press and Rockstar's own names point to.
Vice City: "Everything in Excess"
"We're a long way from the '80s, but Vice City is still the sun and fun capital of America."
Rockstar names the neighborhoods: the "pastel art deco hotels and bright white sands of Ocean Beach," the "bustling panaderias of Little Cuba," the "bootleg brands of the Tisha-Wocka flea market," and the VC Port, "the cruise ship capital of the world." The real-world parallels are easy to spot: Miami Beach's Art Deco district, Little Havana, the Opa-locka flea market and PortMiami, which promotes itself as the cruise capital of the world. Polygon, Variety and The New York Times all describe Vice City as Rockstar's Miami.
Leonida Keys: "Gateway to Paradise"
"Life in this tropical archipelago isn't flashy but it's easy... you are right on the doorstep of some of the most beautiful and dangerous waters in all of America."
This is Rockstar's Florida Keys. Variety calls it "the fictional locale inspired by the Florida Keys." It's also where Jason lives and works.
Grassrivers: "Welcome to the Wetlands"
"The gators may be the most famous attraction, but there are far deadlier predators and weirder discoveries among the mangroves."
The name nods to the Everglades, which have long been nicknamed the "River of Grass."
Port Gellhorn: "Live Hard"
"This is Leonida's forgotten coast. Cheap motels, shut-down attractions, and empty strip malls won't bring the tourists back, but there's a new economy in this once-popular vacation spot. It's fueled by malt liquor, painkillers, and truck stop energy drinks."
This is Rockstar's take on Florida's faded Gulf Coast tourist towns. Rockstar hasn't named a specific real place.
Ambrosia: "Keeping Leonida Sweet"
"In the heart of Leonida, American industry and old school values still reign supreme — whatever the cost. The Allied Crystal sugar refinery provides the jobs, while the local biker gang provides almost everything else."
Inland Florida around Lake Okeechobee is known for its sugar industry. Rockstar hasn't said which town it's based on.
Mount Kalaga National Park: "Wild, Wild Country"
"A national landmark up against the state's northern border, Mount Kalaga offers prime hunting, fishing, and off-road trails. In the lush surrounding backwoods, hillbilly mystics and paranoid radicals live far from the prying eyes of the government."
This covers the forested north of the state, near what would be the Florida Panhandle and the Georgia border.
Tone: Florida in the age of social media
Polygon noted that Trailer 1 introduced "new in-game social media apps." Much of the footage in both trailers is framed as vertical phone videos and livestream clips, satirizing the viral "Florida Man" culture of modern America. That fits Bloomberg's 2022 report that Rockstar wanted its satire to avoid "punching down" at marginalized groups.
Map size
Rockstar calls GTA VI "the biggest, most immersive evolution of the series yet" but hasn't published an official map size. Any square-mile figure you see is a fan estimate.
GTA 6 Story: What Rockstar Has Revealed
Rockstar's official synopsis is the same on its website, the Xbox store and the PlayStation Store:
"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."
The setup, piece by piece
- A couple at the center. This is the first time a GTA story is built around two partners who are also lovers. Bloomberg's 2022 sources called it Bonnie-and-Clyde-influenced, and Polygon described "Bonnie and Clyde-esque shenanigans" in Trailer 1.
- Lucia gets out of prison. Rockstar says she's "fresh out of prison and ready to change the odds in her favor." Trailer 1 opens with her in an inmate shirt (The New York Times), and in the Launch Trailer she calls Jason: "This is a free call from Lucia Caminos." Polygon also noted she's wearing an ankle monitor in a later scene.
- Jason's Army past. The Launch Trailer opens with the line "I got in some trouble in the Army. Didn't leave on the best of terms. They don't give loans or, anything, to people like me." IGN attributes it to Jason. IGN also describes scenes that look like flashbacks to a military unit, but notes they "could easily be set in the 'present.'"
- Jason's living arrangement. Rockstar says Brian Heder is "letting Jason live rent-free at one of his properties — so long as he helps with local shakedowns." In the Launch Trailer, IGN describes Jason buffing a boat at "Brian's Marina" when Lucia calls.
- Heists. Raul Bautista's profile is about increasingly risky bank jobs. Polygon notes the Launch Trailer shows "a variety of heists, some of which can get surprisingly high-tech."
- The emotional core. The Launch Trailer ends with: "Are we gonna be okay? We've stuck together through everything. Just gotta get through it." IGN attributes the lines to Lucia and Jason.
What isn't known
Rockstar hasn't revealed the main antagonist, the story length, the number of missions, whether there are multiple endings, or how the "criminal conspiracy" plays out. We won't guess.
GTA 6 Characters: Jason, Lucia and the Officially Revealed Cast
Rockstar introduced these characters on its official site on May 6, 2025. The quotes are Rockstar's own words, as reprinted in full by Gematsu. Each name links to its profile in our Grand Theft Auto Characters section.
Jason Duval (playable protagonist)
Jason Duval: "Jason wants an easy life, but things just keep getting harder."
Rockstar writes: "Jason grew up around grifters and crooks. After a stint in the Army trying to shake off his troubled teens, he found himself in the Keys doing what he knows best, working for local drug runners. It might be time to try something new." Meeting Lucia "could be the best or worst thing to ever happen to him."
His official quote: "If anything happens, I'm right behind you. Another day in paradise, right?"
Voice actor: Rockstar hasn't published one.
Lucia Caminos (playable protagonist)
Lucia Caminos: "Lucia's father taught her to fight as soon as she could walk."
Rockstar writes: "Life has been coming at her swinging ever since. Fighting for her family landed her in the Leonida Penitentiary. Sheer luck got her out." She wants "the good life her mom has dreamed of since their days in Liberty City." That's a link to the series' New York stand-in. "A life with Jason could be her way out."
Her official quote: "The only thing that matters is who you know and what you got."
The Verge and Variety both call Lucia the series' first female protagonist. More precisely, she's the first female lead in the modern 3D series, as GamesRadar+ put it, citing Bloomberg's "first playable woman in modern Rockstar history." The top-down 1997 original let players pick from a roster of characters that included women.
Voice actor: Rockstar hasn't published one.
Cal Hampton
Cal Hampton: "What if everything on the internet was true?"
"Jason's friend and a fellow associate of Brian's, Cal feels safest hanging at home, snooping on Coast Guard comms with a few beers and some private browser tabs open... Cal is at the low tide of America and happy there."
Official quote: "There are way too many birds flying around in perfect formation."
Boobie Ike
Boobie Ike: "It's all about heart — the Jack of Hearts."
"Boobie is a local Vice City legend — and acts like it. One of the few to transform his time in the streets into a legitimate empire spanning real estate, a strip club, and a recording studio." What he's most invested in is his partnership with Dre'Quan in Only Raw Records: "now they just need a hit."
Official quote: "The club money pay for the studio, and the drug money pay for it all."
Dre'Quan Priest
Dre'Quan Priest: "Only Raw… Records."
"Dre'Quan was always more of a hustler than a gangster. Even when he was dealing on the streets to make ends meet, breaking into music was the goal." He has just signed the Real Dimez and "sets his sights on the Vice City scene."
Official quote: "Dancers are like my A&Rs. If the record's a hit, DJs gonna be spinnin' it."
Real Dimez (Bae-Luxe and Roxy)
Real Dimez: "Viral videos. Viral hooks."
"Bae-Luxe and Roxy aka Real Dimez have been friends since high school — girls with the savvy to turn their time shaking down local dealers into cold, hard cash via spicy rap tracks and a relentless social media presence." An early hit with local rapper DWNPLY made them famous. "Now, after five years and a whole lot of trouble, they're signed to Only Raw Records, hoping lightning can strike twice."
Official quote: "All my dimes in this club. Meet my twin, make it a dub."
Name note: "Real Dimez" is a group name, and "Bae-Luxe" and "Roxy" read like stage names. Rockstar hasn't given either woman a legal name, so we don't list one.
Raul Bautista
Raul Bautista: "Experience counts."
"Confidence, charm, and cunning — Raul's a seasoned bank robber always on the hunt for talent ready to take the risks that bring the biggest rewards... Raul's recklessness raises the stakes with every score. Sooner or later, his crew will have to double down or pull their chips from the table."
Official quote: "Life is full of surprises, my friend. I think we'd all be wise to remember that."
Brian Heder
Brian Heder: "Nothing better than a Mudslide at sunset."
"Brian's a classic drug runner from the golden age of smuggling in the Keys. Still moving product through his boat yard with his third wife, Lori, Brian's been around long enough to let others do his dirty work... Looks like a Leonida beach bum — moves like a great white shark."
Official quote: "I hauled so much grass in that plane, I could make the state of Leonida levitate."
Voice actor (reported, not confirmed by Rockstar): Actor Stephen Root, known for King of the Hill, NewsRadio and Barry, told the Associated Press in September 2026, "Yeah, you're gonna see me in there." He said fans had recognized his voice from early trailers (Variety, September 15, 2026; Kotaku). Variety and Kotaku report that he plays Brian Heder. TweakTown notes Root didn't name the character himself in the AP interview, so the link is based on his voice and the trailers. Rockstar hasn't published a cast list.
GTA 6 Features and Gameplay
Rockstar has said little about specific systems. Here's what official material and reputable press support.
Two protagonists
Both Jason and Lucia are presented as protagonists. GTA V let players switch among three. Rockstar hasn't explained how switching works in GTA VI.
Single-player first
Take-Two and the PlayStation Store both describe GTA VI as "a single-player experience." The PlayStation listing says "1 player" and "Offline play enabled." Rockstar hasn't announced GTA VI online multiplayer.
Purchases
The ESRB rating includes an In-Game Purchases notice. Under ESRB rules, that can cover any optional paid digital content, including add-ons and upgrades, so it doesn't by itself mean microtransactions. Reported, not directly verified: TweakTown and fan outlets say Rockstar North's Rob Nelson said on a podcast that the game launches without microtransactions. We couldn't check the original interview.
A dense, reactive world
Official trailers show packed beaches and nightlife, wildlife from alligators in the Grassrivers to hunting grounds at Mount Kalaga, storms and sunsets, and constant in-world phone filming. IGN pointed out a detailed sweat system in the Launch Trailer. Treat the social-media framing as an observation from the trailers, not a confirmed game system.
Heists, chases and vehicles
Robberies are the main criminal activity in the official material. Trailer 1 has the convenience-store hold-up, Raul's profile is about bank jobs, and the Launch Trailer shows bigger "high-tech" heists (Polygon). Footage shows cars, motorcycles, boats, airboats and aircraft. The Ultimate Edition adds "premium vehicles."
Radio on foot
Reported: Coverage of Rockstar's October 8, 2026 radio announcement says players can listen to radio on foot and on-demand podcasts for the first time in the series. We haven't read the Newswire post itself.
Technical specs
Rockstar says its trailers were captured in-game on PS5. It hasn't published resolution, frame-rate or install-size targets. Analysis from outlets like Digital Foundry is informed estimates, not official specs.
The Trailers and Their Records
Trailer 1: "Love Is a Long Road" (December 4, 2023)
Trailer 1 is set to Tom Petty's "Love Is a Long Road," from his 1989 album Full Moon Fever (Polygon). It moves from Lucia in prison through a montage of Leonida life to the couple's store robbery. Polygon spotted a "Petty Forever" sticker on the store door.
Record: Guinness World Records lists Trailer 1 as the most-viewed non-music YouTube video in 24 hours, with 90,421,491 views as of December 5, 2023. That's even though it went out early because of the leak.
Trailer 2: "Hot Together" (May 6, 2025)
Trailer 2 is set to The Pointer Sisters' "Hot Together." It introduced Jason properly and the supporting cast. Gematsu reported it was captured on PlayStation 5.
Record: Rockstar told The Hollywood Reporter that Trailer 2 got more than 475 million views across platforms in its first 24 hours, calling it "the biggest video launch of all time." For comparison, THR cited 365 million first-day views for the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer. On YouTube alone it got about 75 million in that period (TweakTown), short of Trailer 1's Guinness mark, because Trailer 2 was released on several platforms at once while Trailer 1 was YouTube-only. THR also reported Spotify streams of "Hot Together" rose about 182,000%.
An Extended Look (August 27, 2026)
A longer showcase premiered on Netflix before it went up on Rockstar's channels. Kotaku noted Stephen Root's voice was "prominently heard" in it.
Launch Trailer: "Flower in a Hurricane" (October 15, 2026)
The 90-second Launch Trailer debuts "Flower in a Hurricane" by Justice featuring Tame Impala, SZA, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (Rockstar launch trailer page; GameSpot). IGN and Polygon highlighted Jason's Army backstory, Lucia's prison call, an intimate shower scene with Lucia's ankle monitor and high-tech heist gear. IGN noted the footage is "cinematic action" rather than gameplay.
Music, Radio and the Score
- Original score: Rockstar names French electronic duo Justice as the composers of GTA VI's original score (Rockstar; GameSpot; IGN).
- GTA VI: The Album: an official soundtrack album made with Atlantic Records, launching November 19 alongside the game. It's available to pre-save on streaming services and to pre-order on vinyl and CD (Rockstar Newswire, September 17, 2026, as summarized by press). It includes "Flower in a Hurricane."
- Radio stations (reported): Coverage of Rockstar's October 8, 2026 announcement lists six stations: Cocoteo FM, Back Country Radio, AfroBank FM, The Chamber 106.6, Flash FM (returning from Vice City) and Dirty South Classics. Rockstar's site promises "the biggest and widest-ranging selection of in-game radio yet." We've left out host names because we haven't confirmed them against a Rockstar source.
Rating and Content
The ESRB rates Grand Theft Auto VI M for Mature 17+ with seven content descriptors: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, and Use of Drugs and Alcohol. It also lists In-Game Purchases. The same descriptors now appear at the bottom of rockstargames.com/VI and on the PlayStation Store. Zaikei Shimbun reported that European storefronts show PEGI 18.
Polygon reported that the Launch Trailer "teases wild sex scenes," which fits the Nudity and Strong Sexual Content descriptors.
Take-Two's Stakes: What the Earnings Say
For Take-Two, GTA VI is about the whole company, not just one game.
- GTA V's success: Variety reports GTA V has sold more than 200 million copies and earned more than $8 billion over its lifetime.
- Fiscal 2027 outlook: In its August 7, 2026 earnings release, Take-Two kept its forecast of $8.0 to $8.2 billion in Net Bookings for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027. Zelnick said: "With these positive trends and excitement around the November 19th launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, we are reiterating our Fiscal 2027 Net Bookings outlook of $8.0 to $8.2 billion." First-quarter Net Bookings were $1.39 billion, and the Grand Theft Auto series was one of the largest contributors even before VI's launch.
- Delay reactions: Reuters reported shares fell more than 7% in after-hours trading on the November 2025 delay.
- Budget: The BBC notes some analysts estimate development costs above $1 billion. Take-Two hasn't confirmed that figure.
What Still Isn't Confirmed
As of October 25, 2026, Rockstar hasn't officially confirmed:
- A PC version or date
- A GTA VI online mode
- An official voice cast list (Stephen Root confirmed his own role in an interview, not through Rockstar)
- Map size, mission count or story length
- Story DLC
- Switch 2 or last-gen versions
- Install size and performance targets
Speculation, labeled as such: Rockstar's history makes an eventual PC release and an online component likely. That's our inference, not an announcement.
How GTA VI Fits Into the Series
| Game | Year | Setting | Protagonist | |---|---|---|---| | Grand Theft Auto | 1997 | Liberty City, San Andreas, Vice City | Selectable characters | | GTA III | 2001 | Liberty City | Claude | | GTA: Vice City | 2002 | Vice City, 1986 | Tommy Vercetti | | GTA: San Andreas | 2004 | San Andreas, 1992 | Carl "CJ" Johnson | | GTA IV | 2008 | Liberty City | Niko Bellic | | GTA V | 2013 | Los Santos | Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, Trevor Philips | | GTA VI | 2026 | Leonida / Vice City | Jason Duval, Lucia Caminos |
You can find full names, aliases and voice actors for every main character in Grand Theft Auto Characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When is the GTA 6 release date?
Thursday, November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar's site, Take-Two's August 2026 earnings release and the October 15, 2026 Launch Trailer all confirm it.
2. How many times has GTA 6 been delayed?
Twice. Rockstar moved it from a Fall 2025 window to May 26, 2026 (announced May 2, 2025), then to November 19, 2026 (announced November 6, 2025). Both times, Rockstar cited the need to reach the quality fans "expect and deserve."
3. Is GTA 6 coming to PC?
Rockstar hasn't announced a PC version. Take-Two lists only PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
4. How much does GTA 6 cost?
$79.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 for the Ultimate Edition in the US, according to Take-Two.
5. Who are the main characters in GTA 6?
The protagonists are Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Rockstar has also introduced Cal Hampton, Boobie Ike, Dre'Quan Priest, Real Dimez (Bae-Luxe and Roxy), Raul Bautista and Brian Heder.
6. What is the GTA 6 story about?
Jason, a former soldier working for drug runners in the Keys, and Lucia, just out of prison, team up. When "an easy score goes wrong," they're caught in a criminal conspiracy that stretches across Leonida.
7. Where is GTA 6 set?
In Leonida, a fictional Florida. It includes Vice City (Miami), the Leonida Keys, the Grassrivers wetlands, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia and Mount Kalaga National Park.
8. Who voices the characters in GTA 6?
Rockstar hasn't released a cast list. Stephen Root told the AP he's in the game, and Variety and Kotaku report that he voices Brian Heder. No voice actors for Jason or Lucia have been confirmed.
9. What is GTA 6 rated?
ESRB M (Mature 17+) for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, and Use of Drugs and Alcohol, plus In-Game Purchases. Europe: PEGI 18.
10. Does GTA 6 have online multiplayer?
Not announced. Rockstar describes GTA VI as a single-player experience, and the PlayStation Store lists it as one player. Digital pre-orders include a free month of GTA+ for the existing GTA Online.