Rockstar Games` Grand Theft Auto VI is already breaking popularity records before its release and promises to be a landmark event in the industry. We`ve gathered everything known about the 2026 flagship title: locations, trailers, budget, platforms, and the release date.
The game is set in modern Vice City within the state of Leonida. The main characters are Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval, a couple linked by both romance and criminal ambitions, inspired by the story of Bonnie and Clyde. They find themselves at the center of a criminal conspiracy spanning the entire state and must work together to survive. The plot begins with a failed robbery, and the timeline might be non-linear (Lucia is in prison at the start, possibly due to the robbery`s aftermath).
All locations officially confirmed on the GTA VI website.
From the trailers, we learned that the duo gets into dangerous situations and must rely on each other to get out. The clips show them robbing small stores – just the beginning of their criminal saga.
Lucia Caminos
The first female protagonist in the GTA series, of Latin American descent. She grew up in a criminal environment, trained to fight by her father from childhood. She went to prison while trying to help her family but got out through a stroke of luck.
She seeks smart solutions and a comfortable life, a dream her mother had in Liberty City. She is romantically involved with Jason, and together they plan a major operation.
Jason Duval
A young Miami native involved in crime since childhood, raised among scammers and hustlers. He served in the army to “cleanse” his past, but fate led him to Leonida-Keys, where he works for local drug couriers. Meeting Lucia became a turning point; he dreams of an easy life but gets entangled in a criminal conspiracy.
The game`s official website has revealed initial mentions of colorful secondary characters.
As early as 2021, Snoop Dogg announced he was working on music for a new Rockstar game, adding that Dr. Dre was also involved. In March 2023, 50 Cent fueled fan excitement by posting an image of the Vice City logo on social media – the city where GTA VI takes place. Many believed he would participate in the soundtrack or serve as a model for an NPC. However, it was later revealed the rapper was involved in developing a TV series titled Vice City, unrelated to the GTA franchise.
The first trailer features the song by The Pointer Sisters.
According to numerous leaks, GTA VI is expected to feature significant updates to gameplay mechanics compared to previous installments. Although Rockstar hasn`t officially confirmed anything, evidence of large-scale changes aimed at enhancing realism, interactivity, and gameplay depth has been found in demo versions and patents.
Inventory is expected to be limited: weapons and items will need to be stored in bags or car trunks. Characters will experience thirst, hunger, and fatigue, and their appearance will change based on their lifestyle. Stealth mechanics are also improved: players can hide bodies and evidence, making stealth playthroughs more intense. Dialogues will be active – players can influence the situation in real-time.
New activities may also appear in GTA VI, from surfing to underground fights and gambling. The police will be smarter, capable of remembering license plates, and the wanted system from older games will return. NPC behavior promises to be unique and adaptive, and the environment will be more destructible and physically realistic.
No official information about the multiplayer mode in Grand Theft Auto VI has been released yet. But user InfinityBesk, after examining the September leaks, noticed an interesting detail: auxiliary text indicated that GTA VI online sessions supported up to 32 players in the demo version, which is two more than in GTA V.
This is also supported by a March Take-Two patent: the game will feature the ability to merge and split networks, and the number of loading screens will be reduced, improving gameplay flow.
According to insider Tez2, Rockstar and Take-Two plan to sell the online mode separately from the main game. Players will have a choice: the full version of GTA VI with the story and online mode, or just GTA Online as a standalone product – similar to previous studio releases. The monetization model is geared towards long-term revenue.
GTA VI utilizes the RAGE engine with global illumination, ray tracing, and dynamic resolution (DLSS/FSR). The graphics are close to photorealism: realistic hair, water physics, weather, airplane contrails. Due to the abundance of detail, a limit of 30 FPS is expected even on the latest consoles. NPCs use a new navigation system, reacting to the environment. Up to 40% of buildings are destructible, with flammable interiors.
Digital Foundry experts thoroughly analyzed the second GTA VI trailer, emphasizing that it was entirely recorded on a PS5 console and contains both cutscenes and gameplay segments. The resolution is around 2560×1152 pixels with upscaling (likely FSR 1), resulting in some visual roughness in places – for example, reflection artifacts and imperfect anti-aliasing. Lighting and reflections are implemented using ray tracing, including RTGI and RT reflections, creating a high level of realism. Some scenes demonstrate reflections of dynamic objects, realistic fluid simulation, and detailed glass surfaces, which is extremely rare.
Special attention is given to characters: strand-based hair simulation, dynamic skin with sweat, and independent clothing movement create convincing visuals. Even minor details like hair on arms are rendered with high precision. Despite the technological breakthrough, experts believe the game is likely to run at 30 FPS on consoles, as implementing ray tracing and complex physics will make achieving a stable 60 FPS difficult without significantly degrading graphics.
Grand Theft Auto VI surpasses GTA V in map size, graphics, physics, and NPC detail. Unlike GTA V, the “sixth installment” focuses on two protagonists with a romantic connection and a non-linear story. Mechanics are borrowed from RDR2 (dialogues, limited inventory). The six-star wanted system, absent in GTA V, has returned. The game is positioned as the most ambitious in the series.
Microtransactions are expected in GTA Online, similar to GTA V, with in-game currency for buying vehicles, weapons, or cosmetics.
Developer: Rockstar Games, Publisher: Take-Two Interactive. The team includes experts in water physics, AI (Simon Parr), and a technical director (David Hind). Since April 2024, employees were shifted to a 5/2 office work schedule for finalization and to prevent leaks. The game is undergoing testing, including Russian localization (subtitles, interface). The release delay is related to improving working conditions and aiming to avoid crunch.
GTA VI will set a new standard of quality, influencing the prices of AAA games ($80–100) and expectations for open worlds. Other publishers are avoiding competition, delaying their releases. The game could become the most profitable entertainment product ever, surpassing GTA V ($9 billion) and major 2024 films.
Trailers featured dark humor, satire on social media (a TikTok analog), and the “Florida Man” meme. Street racers, off-road drivers, twerking girls, and a woman with hammers were shown. Rockstar has toned down jokes about minorities following criticism of past games, but developers assure that GTA VI will not lose its fun factor.
Fans are actively discussing trailers, creating memes, concept art, and theories. The first trailer set a YouTube record; the second was met with enthusiasm for its PS5 graphics. The community on X, Reddit, and forums is analyzing details. Players were particularly impressed by the realistic bubbles in bottles. Some criticize the release delay, but most support Rockstar`s commitment to quality.
The first trailer was released on December 5, 2023.
The second trailer was released on May 6, 2025.
The estimated budget is $1–2 billion, making Grand Theft Auto VI the most expensive game in history. Take-Two expects over $1 billion in pre-order revenue and $3.2 billion in the first year. Forecasts predict 25 million copies sold in the first week. The game`s price might be $80–100, higher than the standard $70 for AAA titles.
Release is confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The PC version will be released later, with no exact date. Analysts believe the GTA VI PC release might not happen until at least a year after the main launch.
All Rockstar PC versions are released with a delay: for example, GTA V came out a year and a half later, and Red Dead Redemption two years later.
GTA VI will be released on May 26, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Initially, the release was planned for Fall 2025 but was postponed for additional optimization and to achieve high quality.
Finley Holt