Grand Theft Auto 6 is described as the most anticipated entertainment product ever made, following Grand Theft Auto 5's 225 million units sold. Rockstar North reportedly spent nearly $3 billion in staff costs on the project between 2019 and 2025. The game was first teased with a trailer on December 4, 2023, which broke YouTube viewership records, before being delayed twice — first from an initial 2025 window to May 26, 2026, and then to its current target of November 19, 2026. The second delay reportedly sent Take-Two's stock down as much as 18% in a single day, though CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed in February 2026 that the November date remains on track.
GTA 6 will launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X, following the series' tradition of a console-first release. A PC version has not been officially announced. Historically, GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 took roughly a year to reach PC after their initial console launches. However, VGC's Andy Robinson said on the VGC Podcast that rising console hardware prices could push Rockstar to bring the PC version out sooner than that usual pattern, citing 'noise' about an earlier-than-expected PC launch. A faster PC release could also make financial sense by reaching players without current-gen consoles and by potentially timing with a next iteration of GTA Online. Those wanting the best experience without a PC may instead turn to the PlayStation 5 Pro, though a recent leak suggests it may still run at 30 FPS while targeting 4K.
The story returns to Vice City, set within the larger fictional state of Leonida, and is said to be more than twice the size of GTA V's map according to Rockstar's Head of Development Rob Nelson, who also said Leonida contains eleven times as many small towns as GTA V. The game follows two playable protagonists for the first time in a mainline entry: Jason Duval, a former soldier turned drug-trade errand runner, and Lucia Caminos, Rockstar's first female lead, who enters the story after being released from prison. Their relationship draws comparisons to Bonnie and Clyde as they get caught up in a criminal conspiracy across the state.
Rockstar's 26-minute Extended Look, released via Netflix on August 27, 2026, revealed core gameplay systems including instant character-switching when Jason and Lucia are together, an overhauled combat system with manual aiming and a bullet-time mechanic, a returning six-star Wanted system with police AI that reacts to appearance changes, and a choice between noisy or stealthy car-theft methods. A physique and lifestyle simulation system will let workouts, diet and sleep affect a character's stats and appearance. A single campaign playthrough is estimated to take up to 80 hours, and a first-person mode will not be available at launch.
Rockstar has confirmed pricing: the Standard Edition will cost $80 and the Ultimate Edition $100, with pre-orders for both including a Vintage Vice City Pack of cosmetic and in-game items. The Ultimate Edition includes additional vehicles, weapons, and story-related content that unlock as players progress. The physical edition will include only a digital code rather than a disc, which drew criticism. Pre-orders opened June 25, and according to preliminary Newzoo estimates, they generated around $260 million globally in the first week, with a model projecting up to 51 million units sold in launch week.
On the technical side, GTA 6 runs on Rockstar's RAGE engine and uses ray-traced global illumination and reflections that Digital Foundry described as central to the game's visual identity rather than optional flourishes. Trailer footage was reportedly captured on a standard PS5 targeting 1440p at 30 frames per second, with a 60 FPS performance mode considered unlikely. Xbox Series S owners may see notable compromises, including a possible drop to 720p resolution and reduced or disabled ray tracing, due to the console's memory limitations.