GTA 6: Leaks, updates & everything we know

Having nonchalantly announced that the development of GTA 6 is "well underway", there's yet to be any word on when Grand Theft Auto 6 will release - and almost ten years after Rockstar Games raced into our lives with GTA V, players are desperate to know more.

GTA 6 is finally official, and from rumours of a female protagonist to a Vice City return, the years of waiting have turned up some interesting snippets relating to the next entry. It's important to remember Rockstar hasn't even announced details regarding GTA 6 yet, with the developers having worked tirelessly on a divisive re-skin of the GTA Trilogy whilst keeping their cards close to their chest on what's yet to come.

We're not buying it though, and with Rockstar's notoriously secretive nature, the game's release date could be closer than first thought. With a mountain of leaks to sift through, here's everything we know about GTA 6.

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Is there a release date for GTA 6?

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The most important question is undoubtedly when GTA 6 could release. Well, just as Michael keeps his secrets away from the Five-0, Rockstar has yet to reveal a slither of when GTA 6 will arrive. However, there are always murmurs of the shenanigans of a major cartel, and the developers aren't too dissimilar to GTA's characters. 

Our best guess for a release window comes from an interview with Strauss Zelnik, CEO of Take-Two Interactive. During this interview, the Take-Two boss dodges GTA 6 release date rumours, merely revealing that the company expects huge growth in the fiscal year 2025 (April 2024 - March 2025), hinting that GTA 6 could hit the market sometime during that year.

This makes a mid-2020s release date for GTA 6 seem the most likely. As we've previously explained, this would give the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S enough time to move well into their life cycles and sell more units. The more consoles sold, the more likely GTA 6 is to become a chart-topping success. Not that it needs much help getting there.

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Do we know anything about GTA 6's story?

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"With the unprecedented longevity of GTA V, we know many of you have been asking us about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series," said Rockstar, during their ever-so-sly game reveal. With an emphasis on being brand-new, the upcoming title appears to be whisking us away to a destination that we've not yet seen before. 

One of the more discussed American playgrounds for GTA 6 is Florida, after a job listing explained that destructible skyscrapers, hurricanes and alligators, and visible insects will all be prevalent. Combined with a typically multi-cultural environment that is hard-rooted into the GTA DNA, Florida could be the newest landscape that falls victim to our heists and reckless driving - although Flo Rida is being ditched for Dr. Dre.

However, there's still a persistent rumour we'll get to revisit GTA: Vice City. The 2002 game is held by many as the best GTA game there is, with the Miami-inspired Vice City and its '80s soundtrack giving us a pastel-soaked dream for the ages. 

Instead of continuing the story of Tommy Vercetti in the aftermath of Vice City, all signs point to a modern interpretation of the city that would allow the franchise to keep its modern mechanics and Online potential. Alongside the main GTA series, the Online component that came with GTA V has helped the 2013 game become the most profitable entertainment product of all time.

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GTA 6 character rumours and leaks

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Project Americas claimed there would be a lead protagonist called Ricardo, but elsewhere, we're teased with the idea of a female protagonist. Just like GTA V played out with Franklin, Michael, and Trevor, it's likely GTA 6 could also have multiple protagonists.

Importantly, the idea of a woman being playable would mark a milestone moment for the franchise that could follow in the footsteps of Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed. It's unclear whether you'd just customise your character as a woman (à la Fallout) or whether it would be a wholly different character.

Away from the main crop of characters, expect some savvier NPCs in GTA 6. While we're used to NPCs being mindless drones blundering around, a new patent from Take-Two Interactive has suggested that NPCs will interact with players more than ever, to deliver a truly intelligent game for a new generation. 

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What has Rockstar said about GTA 6?

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Despite keeping its cards close to its chest, Rockstar has (sort of) hinted at what's next. Way back in 2013, former Rockstar president Leslie Benzies told Develop magazine, "We don’t know what GTA 6 will be, but we’ve got some ideas. We’ve got about 45 years’ worth of ideas we want to do. We’ll pick the right ones. It comes from the idea first.

"Where it is going to be set is the first question. That then defines the missions; you’re doing different things in LA than in New York or Miami. The map and story get worked up together, and the story is a basic flow of how it works out, so you can layer the mission in".

Ironically, Benzies also told Digital Trends in 2012 about a "GTA World". His concept was to revisit Vice City one day by connecting all the cities in a giant map that players can fly between. Given the way games have developed in the past decade, it's theoretically a concept that could be logistically possible without clunky loading screens.

Then again, a lot has changed since then. As well as Benzies' departure leaving Rockstar in a rocky state, the developer came under fire around the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. Rockstar was dragged through the mud for reportedly working staff to the bone. Although it's promised to improve staff morale, some claim this is another reason for GTA 6's extended wait. 

In terms of official news, a 2021 job listing for a Mixed Media Animator teased a modern setting for GTA 6, which loops back to the tease of a return to Vice City in the present day.

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Which platforms will GTA 6 launch on?

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While nothing has been confirmed, it seems safe to say that Grand Theft Auto 6 will likely be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC. Based on Rockstars' previous games, it seems likely that the PC version will come later, but we will have to wait and see.

As for older consoles such as the PS4 and Xbox One, it seems unlikely at this point that they will also get the game. While it is possible, the game has been in development for a long time so commitments might have been made, but considering the current generation of consoles is nearly three years old and GTA 6 hasn't even been officially announced yet, previous consoles aren't likely to get a look in.

That is everything we currently know about GTA 6 based on leaks, rumours and the tidbits of official info released so far. For every GTA 6 update as and when they happen, keep your eyes on GGRecon.