Vice City, USA.
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.
Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI, GTA 6) — upcoming game in the Grand Theft Auto series from Rockstar Games, with release planned for November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The game will take place in Vice City and the State of Leonida, and the story will focus on the criminal duo of Lucia and her partner Jason.
Trailers
Trailer 1
In the first GTA 6 trailer, emphasis is placed on the game's atmosphere, combining luxury, crime, and chaos of everyday life.
Many of the events shown are inspired by modern Florida and social media culture, where even the most absurd incidents quickly go viral.
Trailer 2
In the second GTA 6 trailer, the main focus is on the relationship between Jason and Lucia and the development of the storyline.
In addition to new characters, the video demonstrated the everyday and criminal life of the heroes, as well as the variety of gameplay activities and the scale of the open world.
An Extended Look
In the Extended Look, Rockstar first demonstrated full gameplay of GTA 6 — about 26 minutes of footage captured on PlayStation 5.
Detailed analysis of GTA 6 trailers can be found in the section "Trailers".
Gameplay
GTA 6 changes the franchise's familiar mechanics more drastically than any previous installment: Jason and Lucia gain their own reputation and relationship systems, the police have become much more intelligent, and money and loot now physically exist in the game world rather than simply being figures in the interface.
Details became known following an extended presentation on August 27 and closed demonstrations for gaming publications and bloggers at the Rockstar North office.
World Scale
- The map is roughly twice as large as GTA 5, and three times larger than Red Dead Redemption 2. Vice City itself already surpasses Los Santos in size by a factor of two.
- You can travel throughout the state without your own vehicle — bus stops and taxis are operational.
- Animals, like in Red Dead Redemption 2, can be studied — the game features squirrels, deer, bison, manatees, rays and dolphins, and some of them are also available in the Leonida zoo.
Character Stats
- There are three bars on screen: health, stamina, and focus — the equivalent of "Dead Eye" from Red Dead Redemption 2. Focus slows down time and highlights vulnerable spots on people and vehicles.
- Food and drinks temporarily boost stats: smoothies boost stamina and focus, apples and chips restore health. Overeating, however, leads to weight gain.
- Lucia has less health than Jason — she compensates with mobility and hand-to-hand combat.
- You can increase the maximum values of the bars through activities: running, basketball, shooting range, or gym.
- You can switch between Jason and Lucia at almost any time — the wheel offers the option to play as one hero or control both simultaneously. If the characters are close together, switching is nearly instantaneous; if they're far apart, it takes a few seconds.
Gym
- A membership is purchased at the front desk, protein shakes are bought from vending machines, they provide a temporary boost to strength and stamina for the duration of the workout.
- One set (for example, eight bench press reps) fills the daily workout bar by a third; three strength exercises in a game day provide a temporary boost to maximum health.
- Different machines train different attributes: weight machines — health, treadmill — stamina, shooting range and basketball — focus.
- The gym is completely optional — you can complete the game without ever stepping foot inside, and a visit together counts as a date for Jason and Lucia.
Jason and Lucia's Relationship
- The relationship status is visible through a heart in the character menu — there's no permanent bar on screen. Romance is not required for the story, and the relationship can't be completely destroyed: the couple can't break up, only grow distant.
- The following help bring the heroes closer: messages (including good night wishes), dates and shopping trips, joint workouts, walks around Leonida and zoo visits, robberies outside the main story, and small household requests.
- Hand-holding walks, hugs when meeting, and the decision of whether the characters kiss when they see each other also affect the relationship.
- If you're away from home for extended periods, Jason or Lucia may send a message asking you to lock the door or letting you know they've already gone to sleep — you shouldn't ignore such messages.
Criminal Profile
- The honor system from Red Dead Redemption 2 has been replaced with a criminal profile — it's not about "good or evil," but about professionalism: the profile increases if crimes are committed cleanly, without unnecessary casualties and destruction.
- The profile also increases from everyday details like properly disposed trash, and decreases from senseless cruelty — killing animals, desecrating corpses, running over crowds.
- The scale is not displayed on screen — you can only view it in the character menu, and Jason and Lucia have separate profiles: you can run one cleanly and let the other go wild.
- If the profile drops too low, the icon in the menu will crack — and this is permanent for that particular playthrough.
Driving and Physics
- There is no more auto-aim when shooting from a vehicle; you must aim manually with automatic aim assist near the target.
- Cars are heavier and weightier to handle than in GTA 5 — a rear-wheel drive model will drift if you simply floor the accelerator from the start. At the same time, top speed has increased, and long drives pass faster.
- Streets are narrower and there's significantly more traffic — maneuvering is harder, more crashes occur. Heroes turn on turn signals automatically or on player command.
- For the first time in the series, gas stations are no longer decoration: you must monitor fuel levels, and separate charging stations exist for electric vehicles.
- The damage model is now more detailed: instead of abstract dents from impacts and bullets, specific body parts break off.
- Among unusual vehicles are a working tow truck and electric scooters, which are convenient for escaping police through narrow alleys.
Car Theft
- Vehicles have multiple levels of protection — the more expensive the car, the harder it is to break into. Old models can be opened with a simple lockpick, but modern sports cars have electronics that can't be bypassed yet — you can only force the driver out while moving.
- Breaking the window of a parked car triggers the alarm and attracts witnesses.
- A stolen car must be registered for a fee before it becomes your personal vehicle.
- The Waink app shows everything you need about a specific vehicle — from its cost and repair price to whether it has an alarm or tracker.
Shooting and Combat
- Cover has returned, along with camera shoulder switching from Red Dead Redemption 2. You can now crouch anywhere, not just against walls.
- You can carry two one-handed weapons and two two-handed weapons; other weapons remain in your personal car's trunk. There are separate slots for melee weapons, gadgets, and throwables like Molotov cocktails.
- You don't have to kill enemies — you can disable them by shooting them in the leg or arm or by knocking weapons out of their hands. Different colored hit markers show the result: injury, incapacitation, or death.
- Lucia has signature moves — for example, firing a pump shotgun with one hand and delivering a heel strike in melee combat.
- Cinematic kill cam and crash cam can be disabled in settings.
Wanted Level and Police
- Police car icons have been removed from the mini-map — you'll have to watch for patrols visually, with only red-blue flashing at the bottom of the screen warning you of their approach.
- The wanted level scale returns with six stars: at maximum, police coordinate their search throughout the state.
- Below the wanted level on screen, icons appear showing what the police know: weapons in hand, appearance, clothing, presence of a partner, captured on CCTV.
- Changing your appearance helps lose the wanted level. You can change weapons, split up from your partner, and change clothes right in the car.
- Two wanted zones are displayed on the map: the crime scene and a wider patrol radius — to lose them, you need to get beyond its boundaries.
- Most modern vehicles, including nearly all police cars, have GPS trackers — a stolen car will be traced by geolocation unless you remove the tracker at a chop shop or switch to an old model without electronics.
- During pursuits, police aim for the tires, and after arrest, the player simply respawns at the police station.
Money and Robberies
- Money is stored in three places: bank account (completely safe, deposited only through ATM — not via phone), cash (lost upon arrest or death), and loot bag from robberies (must be taken to a fence).
- How much loot fits depends on your vehicle — on a motorcycle only what's on the character, a couple of bags in a car trunk, noticeably more in a van.
- You can rob almost any establishment you can physically enter — from small shops and diners to jewelry stores and bank branches.
- Money in GTA 6 is more important than in previous games in the series — sometimes you need to accumulate a certain amount to progress the story.
Smartphone
- The phone is now a full 3D object: the character physically pulls it out, and the camera moves over the shoulder.
- Software includes a bank app, taxi app, personal vehicle call app, messenger for correspondence with other characters, and a fitness tracker with a training schedule.
- In social media, NPC posts are visible in real time — you can find event locations and witness events as they happen.
World and Inhabitants
- NPCs are notably more diverse and lifelike — their reaction animations number in the hundreds of thousands, pedestrians have different appearances, builds, and personalities.
- You can greet pedestrians, provoke them, or try to calm them down — the character doesn't automatically start shooting.
- The world lives without the player: crowds gather around street incidents, criminals rob armored cars, all without the protagonists' involvement.
- Among unusual details — you can pet a dog or cat, and if a pet owner is cleaning up after their pet on the street, you can push them and take the dropped bag to throw its contents at another pedestrian.
Graphics and Performance
- The shown gameplay ran at native 1440p on a base PS5, without dynamic resolution or upscaling technologies like FSR.
- The frame rate holds at 30 — it will remain at that on base generation consoles, nothing is yet known about a PS5 Pro version.
- For stable 60 frames on PC, you'll need a powerful processor — chips with large cache (3D V-Cache) will perform best.
This section will be updated with new previews and reveals — some mechanics will likely be fine-tuned or changed before the game releases on November 19.
Setting
The events of GTA 6 unfold in the State of Leonida, which stretches along the Atlantic coast, encompassing beaches, swamps, forests, and fertile plains.
The state is known for its landmarks, amusement parks, golf resorts, and natural reserves, as well as vibrant cities, highways, and major port hubs that facilitate trade and transportation.
Tour a few of the must-see destinations across the sunshine state.
Vice City
Vice City is a vibrant coastal city of Leonida, known as the capital of sun and entertainment, where luxury, hustle, and excess go hand in hand.
Each neighborhood of the city offers something unique: from pastel art deco hotels and pristine beaches of Ocean Beach to bustling panaderías of Little Cuba and the noisy flea market rows of Tisha-Voka, stretching all the way to the port of Vice City — the world capital of cruise ships.
Leonida Keys
Leonida Keys is a tropical archipelago where life flows easy and carefree.
Here reigns a relaxed style, drinks flow freely, and endless landscapes stretch all around, though it's not as safe as it might seem at first glance.
Grassrivers
The swamps of Grassrivers hide many surprises underwater.
You can easily find an alligator here, but much more dangerous encounters can happen in the mangrove thickets.
Port Gellhorn
Port Gellhorn was once a popular tourist destination, but now you can only see cheap motels, closed amusement parks, and vacant shopping centers.
Fortified beer, painkillers and energy drinks from the nearest gas station help ease the boredom. Jump on an off-road bike and keep an eye on your wallet.
Ambrosia
Ambrosia – heart of Leonida, a bastion of American industry and conservative views.
Local residents work at the Allied Crystal sugar factory, and a local biker gang provides them with almost everything else.
Mount Kalaga
Mount Kalaga – national nature park on the northern border of the state. It's a favorite spot for hunters, fishermen and travelers.
Local forests are home to rural mystics and paranoid radicals seeking to escape the intrusive attention of the authorities.
Characters
Jason Duval
Jason's childhood was spent among con artists and swindlers, and he joined the Army to atone for his sins. Later fate brought him to the Keys, where he started working for local drug couriers.
Meeting Lucia became an important event in his life. In pursuit of easy money, the couple gets drawn into a criminal conspiracy that they must go through together.
Lucia Caminos
Her father taught Lucia to fight from an early age, and since then her life has been a constant struggle. Trying to help her family, she ended up behind bars, but thanks to luck, she managed to escape.
Lucia learned her lesson and is no longer going to repeat her past mistakes. She abandoned empty dreams of a comfortable life and now works to make them a reality.
Brian Heder
Brian witnessed the golden age of drug trafficking in the Keys and remains involved in the trade to this day, transporting goods through his boat station with his third wife Lori, though these days others do the dirty work for him.
He allowed Jason to live for free in one of his houses in exchange for help collecting rent from the tenants and sharing the sangria that Lori makes.
Cal Hampton
Cal is Jason's friend who also works for Brian. He loves to sit at home, fall into paranoia, drink beer, eavesdrop on coast guard radio messages, and browse the internet in a private browser window.
He is at the very bottom of the social ladder and appears quite content with it.
Raul Bautista
Raul is an experienced robber, and each of his robbery plans becomes increasingly daring. He constantly searches for accomplices willing to risk it all for a big score.
The ever-growing risks will one day force Raul's team to make a choice—go all-in or get out of the game.
Boobie Ike
Boobie is a living legend of Vice City. Once an ordinary street dealer, he now owns an entire financial empire that includes real estate, a strip club, and a recording studio.
In addition, he has partnered with a promising music entrepreneur Dre'Quan under the Only Raw Records label, and now they just need one hit.
Dre'Quan Priest
Dre'Quan used to deal drugs on the street to make a living, but always dreamed of a music career.
He signed a contract with Real Dimez and is determined to conquer the Vice City music scene, so soon someone else will have to find performers for Boobie's strip club.
Real Dimez
Bae-Luxe and Roxy have been friends since school. They used to extort money from local dealers, but now they talk about their past in rap compositions and regularly publish content on social media.
The girls recorded a hit single with local rapper DWNPLY, who helped Real Dimez reach a new level. After five years and many adventures, they signed a contract with the Only Raw Records label.
History
2022
The history of GTA 6 began long before the official announcement. Already in 2022, Rockstar Games for the first time confirmed the development of a new installment in the Grand Theft Auto series — this happened on February 4.
Later, on July 7, the studio announced that it is gradually intensifying work on the project, redirecting more and more resources and employees to it to achieve the highest possible level of quality.
Alongside official information, rumors and leaks intensified around the game. The largest of them occurred on September 18, 2022, when a large volume of materials, first showing early versions of characters, vehicles, and locations, appeared online.
2023
On November 8, 2023, Rockstar Games president Sam Houser announced that the first trailer of the game would be released in early December. On December 1 was confirmed the exact date and time — December 5, 2023 at 9:00 AM ET. At the same time, Rockstar published the first official artwork for GTA 6.
As a result of another leak, the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer appeared online already in the evening of December 4. In it, the full name of the game was first revealed, and it was also confirmed that the events would take place in Vice City and the surrounding State of Leonida, and at the center of the plot would be a criminal duo — Lucia and Jason. At the end, the release date was stated — 2025.
In Grand Theft Auto VI, you will head to the State of Leonida, toward the neon lights of Vice City. Awaits you the largest, most realistic world in the entire history of Grand Theft Auto. The game will be released in 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
2024
In 2024, Rockstar Games did not publish new announcements about GTA 6, however users were noting technical changes and updates to the structure of the official game website.
2025
On May 2, 2025, Rockstar Games postponed the release of GTA 6 to May 26, 2026. A few days later, on May 6, the company released the second trailer and updated the official game website, publishing new information about characters, plot, and locations. A new batch of screenshots, videos, and artwork was also presented.
On November 6, Rockstar Games announced another postponement, moving the release date to November 19, 2026. The studio expressed regret about the long wait and noted that "this additional time will help us complete the work properly and provide the game with the level of quality you deserve".
2026
On June 18, 2026, five months before the game's release, Rockstar Games broke its long silence and announced the opening of pre-orders for GTA 6, which were set to begin on June 25. Along with this, the company presented the game's cover, updated the official website, and published several new artworks.
On June 24, Rockstar Games revealed the contents of the full edition Grand Theft Auto VI: Ultimate Edition, and also announced that all players who placed a pre-order or purchased the game before November 20 will receive the Vintage Vice City Pack.
At the same time, it became known that the physical version of GTA 6 would go on sale on November 12 and would contain only a digital code to begin pre-loading. Simultaneously, over 60 new screenshots appeared on the website, revealing the content of the Ultimate Edition and Vintage Vice City.
On June 25, pre-orders opened and the price of GTA 6 became known.
On August 6, Rockstar Games announced an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI — the premiere will take place on August 27, 2026 on Netflix and YouTube.
The video will appear on Netflix at 15:00 ET. Six hours later the showcase will start on the official Rockstar Games YouTube channel and on the GTA VI website.
On August 18, 2026, the group CYBERLEEK made themselves known — they began uploading photos and videos from the playable version of GTA 6 to the internet. Images of the map, basketball gameplay, a chase on a stolen police motorcycle, scenes in a strip club, a nudist beach, and other moments from life in Leonida were shown.
According to the group, they were protesting in this way against publisher practices — first and foremost digital pre-orders and content cut at release. At least 15 videos accumulated in just over a week, and on August 26, footage featuring Lucia was leaked for the first time.
On the same day, Rockstar Games publicly responded to the leaks for the first time. The studio called what was happening "heartbreaking" for the team and apologized for the fact that the game and details about it had not been released officially for a long time. Rockstar also asked fans to be patient a bit longer until the release on November 19.
On August 27-28, the extended look took place exactly as scheduled — first on Netflix, then on the Rockstar Games YouTube channel and the GTA VI website. Shortly after, 29 new screenshots appeared on the website.
Editions
GTA 6 is released in two editions — Standard Edition and Ultimate Edition. You can buy the game at PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store and Rockstar Store.
Standard Edition is available in digital form and as a code in a box, Ultimate Edition is sold only in digital format. The physical version will be on sale on November 12 and will contain only a digital code to start the preload.
Standard Edition
The base version of the game without additional content. After purchasing the Standard Edition, you will have the opportunity to upgrade it to Ultimate Edition later.
Ultimate Edition
Ultimate Edition includes exclusive transport, unique weapons, expanded clothing sets, tattoos and cosmetic options, as well as additional tuning and customization services.
The edition also includes special missions related to finding and restoring classic cars, and access to unique locations with special items and contraband.
Price
- Standard Edition — $80
- Ultimate Edition — $100
Where to Buy
Pre-Order Bonus
All players who pre-ordered or purchased before November 20 will receive the Bonus Vintage Vice City Pack.
It includes the Vapid Stanier vehicle, a personal garage at Shore Court next to Ocean Beach, as well as a set of clothing, hairstyles and weapon skins in Vice City style for Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos.
Additionally, for pre-ordering you'll get a free month of GTA+ Membership for GTA Online.
Screenshots
All GTA 6 screenshots can be found in the Screenshots section.
Artwork
All GTA 6 artwork can be found in the Artwork section.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will GTA 6 be released?
November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Will GTA 6 come to PC?
At the time of writing, Rockstar Games has not announced a PC version of GTA 6.
How much does GTA 6 cost?
Standard Edition costs $80, and Ultimate Edition — $100.
What editions of GTA 6 are available?
Standard Edition and Ultimate Edition.
Will there be GTA 6 Online?
At the moment, Rockstar Games has not made official announcements about GTA 6 Online multiplayer mode, but there is no doubt it will happen.
Likely, multiplayer will open some time after the release of story mode, but this is just our speculation, so we're waiting for an official announcement.
There is a theory that GTA 6 Online will be released as a separate game, similar to GTA Online and Red Dead Online, which can be purchased separately from the single-player component.
Can you buy GTA 6 on disc?
Standard Edition is available digitally and as a physical edition with a digital code. Ultimate Edition is sold only in digital format.
A full disc version of the game has not been announced at the time of writing.
What engine is GTA 6 being developed on?
The game is being created on Rockstar's proprietary Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE).