GTA 6 is an inevitability, but up until recently, not much has been known about Rockstar’s sequel aside from the occasional arguable rumor. However, new Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks from credible sources paint a much more thorough picture of what to expect, with us now seemingly knowing more about the game’s Vice City settings, its multiple playable characters, and its release date. Here’s what we know so far about the next GTA.
When is the GTA 6 release date?
GTA 6 is now facing a 2025 release date, according to recent rumors surrounding the game. While this release date hasn’t been verified, it was reported by video game leaker Tom Henderson, whose claims have since been backed up by noted gaming industry insider and Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier.
In a tweet, Schreier denied that the game would launch in 2023, saying that everything he’s heard about the game lines up with Henderson’s claims.
Idk why everyone thinks that I said GTA VI was coming in 2023. Everything Tom Henderson has said about the game matches up with what I've heard
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) July 4, 2021
Schreier’s comment adds further credibility to Henderson’s leaks, and while Henderson has said to take his comments with “a pinch of salt” as the game is still early in development, a clear picture is coming together in terms of what to expect from the sequel. While everything is still subject to change given the nature of game development, especially given its apparent 2025 release window, we’ve still been given a lot of information regarding how Rockstar’s current plans look.
Why is GTA 6 taking so long?
GTA 6 is taking longer to release than your typical sequel due to a variety of factors. Rockstar still working on Red Dead Redemption 2, for one, alongside the upcoming new-gen release of GTA 5.
However, it’s also reported that the studio is spending time creating a healthier work environment for its employees following the heavily discussed crunch RDR2 developers were allegedly forced through. This, combined with the pandemic hampering development, has resulted in its release schedule being pushed back and the game now allegedly set to launch in four years’ time.
Will GTA 6 be on PS4 and Xbox One or just PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC?
GTA 6 will likely take full advantage of the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC hardware, leaving a last-gen release questionable. With its launch set for 2025, there will have been multiple technical advancements by that point for new-gen games, putting an even wider gap between current consoles and last-gen systems such as the PS4 and Xbox One.
Still, stranger things have happened, and with technologies such as Xbox’s xCloud we’ve seen hard-hitting current-gen games even managing to run on smartphones and tablets. There are no confirmed platforms for GTA 6 at the time of this writing, so we’ll just have to wait and see what Rockstar comes up with.
Is GTA 6 set in an evolving Vice City map?
GTA 6 will allegedly be located in an ever-evolving Vice City map a la Fortnite. The game reportedly won’t return to the ’80s theme of the PS2 game, but will instead be set in the modern day in order to give Rockstar more fodder for the game’s online component.
The full map has yet to be revealed, though it apparently won’t be as large as previous leaks have suggested. Vice City will be a component of the map, though, meaning that we’ll get to return to the setting of the PS2 game.
Will there be a GTA 6 Online?
If there’s a GTA 6, it’s inevitable there will be a GTA 6 Online, given the bank-rolling success of its predecessor. According to Henderson, the modern-day setting will give developers as much freedom as possible for subsequent DLC and updates, which makes a lot of sense when you consider some of the ridiculous additions that have been added to the current GTA Online.
Vice City will apparently be included in this map, though the game won’t stick to its guns with the same map throughout the course of its lifespan. Similar to Fortnite, which routinely updates its map in updates in order to add in new locations and take old ones away, GTA 6 will reportedly feature an evolving map that will change with DLC. This is a huge move for the series, with the map apparently set to expand and add locations after launch.
Who are the GTA 6 characters and who is in the game?
There will reportedly be multiple playable characters in GTA 6. It’s unclear if this will emulate Trevor, Michael, and Franklin by letting players swap between them at will, or if players will instead be given new characters to play as they progress through its story.
These characters are still unknown, so it’s uncertain if there will be returning protagonists or a completely new group of player characters. However, Henderson did say that he’s been informed GTA 6 will have a female playable character. According to the leaker, this character will be the brains of the operation, with them being proficient in hacking and helping the squad out of tight situations. This will be a first for the series, with the character allegedly fitting right into GTA’s brand of humor.
In other news, Nintendo has revealed that it hasn’t given up on classic mini consoles, meaning that the N64 Mini could be on its way. It was also recently rumored that a new Star Wars sequel trilogy could be made, eradicating the previous triloy.
