Grand Theft Auto is one of the most popular and best-known franchises in gaming and expectations are high for the next entry in the series. The first and only GTA 6 trailer was released in December 2023, and the game itself is slated for sometime in Fall 2025. As rumored, the game returns to Vice City.
First trailer is out now
The first trailer has arrived for GTA 6, and you can watch it above. It provides a glimpse at what to expect in Rockstar’s return to Vice City, a stand-in for Miami. The trailer uses the Tom Petty song “Love Is a Long Road,” and some believe the lyrics might contain clues about the story.
Who’s developing GTA 6?
Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development at Rockstar Games. Rockstar North, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, is leading the game’s development, but these days, Rockstar’s entire network of studios is known to work collectively on the same project, not unlike how development on Call of Duty is distributed between teams. Rockstar’s latest big game, Red Dead Redemption II, was developed by multiple teams, and that’ll be the case once again with GTA 6.
It’s recently come to light that Rockstar is mandating that developers return to the office in April to close out production on the game and to bolster security and productivity. Not all staffers are happy about this, though, and some have said mandating working in the office is a bad thing for a variety of reasons.
GTA 6 release date
Grand Theft Auto VI will be released in 2025 across PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. There has been no mention of a release on PC. More specifically, the game is now slated for release in Fall 2025. However, basically every Rockstar Games project in the past 10 years has been delayed beyond its originally assigned date, so it would be a break from tradition if the game is not delayed.
Impact of SAG-AFTRA strike
The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA called a strike on video game projects on July 26, and many titles are potentially impacted by the work stoppage. However, GTA VI is not among them.
Setting and Story
Grand Theft Auto VI is set in the state of Leonida, which is home to Vice City AKA Miami. Rockstar has said GTA VI will deliver the “biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.” The company went on to say the game will “push the limits of what’s possible in highly immersive, story-driven open-world experiences.”
Not much is known about the story thus far, but we do know it will feature the characters Lucia and a man rumored to be named Jason. They appear to be lovers who enjoy doing heists together. The trailer also suggests that Lucia spent time in prison.
Details from the trailer
The announcement trailer features the Tom Petty song “Love Is A Long Road,” and it’s not Petty’s first song for GTA, as the late Florida-born musician also lent “Runnin’ Down A Dream” to GTA: San Andreas.
Players will seemingly get to visit beaches, swamps, and other waterways in Leonida, as well as the bustling metropolis of Vice City itself. The trailer shows off big crowds, dogs, impressive hair physics, and some kind of in-game social media platform. There are strip clubs, night clubs, and concerts in the game, as well as dogs and all manner of wildlife.
Take a look at the trailer for yourself to get a glimpse at what to expect from GTA VI and its new version of Vice City.
No Troy Baker
Prolific video game voice actor Troy Baker has confirmed that he will not voice the male lead in Grand Theft Auto VI, a character rumored to be named Jason. Rockstar Games has made no official announcements about the cast for GTA VI, so we don’t know who voices Jason or Lucia.
Expect it to be $70
Take-Two was one of the first publishers to start charging $10 more for big new releases, and one would have to imagine this will continue with GTA 6. Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick recently said the company has seen “no pushback” against the $70 price point, so you can safely expect that GTA 6 will carry this premium price point as well.
The big leak
In September 2022, Rockstar suffered a massive leak of the next GTA game, with numerous screenshots and early footage of the game posted online. Rockstar responded to the leak and said work would continue “as planned” on GTA 6, but parent company Take-Two’s share price took a hit after the leak. Take-Two management also stared that the leak was “really frustrating and unfortunate,” but ultimately that it would not affect the company’s bottom line.
It later came to light that the person said to be responsible for the hack that led to the leak was a teenager on bail in a hotel room using an Amazon Fire Stick.
“Something you’ve never seen before”
Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick is known for letting Rockstar speak for itself, but he did share some words recently on GTA 6. He said Rockstar is seeking “nothing short of perfection,” and that the aim is for GTA 6 to be “something you’ve never seen before.”
“I think that’s the challenge that the folks at Rockstar face every time that there is a new iteration of Grand Theft Auto. It needs to be something you’ve never seen before,” Zelnick said. “And it needs to reflect the feeling that we have about Grand Theft Auto–that’s a big challenge for the team. Rockstar’s answer is seek perfection. Seek nothing short of perfection, and we’ll get there.”
What happens to GTA Online?
Grand Theft Auto Online has a big, dedicated fanbase of active players, so many are wondering what’s going to happen to the game when GTA VI comes out. Rockstar has not yet provided any detail around that, however, but keep checking back for more.
