GTA 6 timeline

Development of GTA 6 begins

Rob Nelson of Rockstar North later told TroisCouleurs that GTA 6 has been in development since 2015. Most of the team moved onto it after Red Dead Redemption 2 came out in 2018.

• OfficialGTA 6 has been in development since 2015

Rockstar confirms a new GTA is in development

In a news post about GTA 5 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, Rockstar wrote that active development of the next entry in the series was well underway. The game wasn’t named.

Rockstar confirms a leak of early footage

Dozens of clips from an early build of the game leaked online. Rockstar confirmed a network intrusion and said work on the game would continue as planned.

First trailer announced

Sam Houser announced that the first trailer for the next GTA would arrive in early December, the month of Rockstar Games’ 25th anniversary.

Trailer 1

Rockstar showed Vice City, Lucia and the state of Leonida and named the release window: 2025, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

• OutdatedGTA 6 launches in 2025
• OfficialAt launch, GTA 6 comes out only on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
• OfficialLucia’s story begins in a Leonida state prison

Take-Two points to fall 2025

In its quarterly report, Take-Two narrowed the window: GTA 6 would launch in fall 2025.

• OutdatedGTA 6 launches in 2025

Delayed to May 26, 2026

Rockstar moved the release from fall 2025 to May 26, 2026.

• OutdatedGTA 6 launches in 2025
• OutdatedGTA 6 launches on May 26, 2026

Trailer 2

The second trailer introduced Jason, scenes of the couple together and new parts of the state. A section about the people and places of Leonida opened on the game’s website.

• OfficialThere are two protagonists, Lucia and Jason
• OfficialRockstar has named six regions of the state of Leonida

Delayed to November 19, 2026

The second delay: instead of May 26, 2026, the game launches on November 19.

• OutdatedGTA 6 launches on May 26, 2026
• OfficialGTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026

Take-Two forecasts a record year driven by GTA 6

Take-Two expects 8.0 to 8.2 billion dollars in net bookings for April 2026 to March 2027 and says the year will set records driven by the November 19 launch of GTA 6.

• OfficialTake-Two expects 8.0 to 8.2 billion dollars in net bookings in the fiscal year GTA 6 launches

Pre-order date announced

Rockstar said pre-orders would open on June 25.

• OfficialPre-orders have been open since June 25, 2026

Editions and bonuses

Rockstar revealed the Standard and Ultimate Editions, the Vintage Vice City pack for purchases before November 20 and pre-loading from November 12. Take-Two confirmed the prices: $79.99 and $99.99.

• OfficialThe Standard Edition costs $79.99, and the Ultimate Edition $99.99
• OfficialEveryone who buys the game before November 20 gets the Vintage Vice City pack
• OfficialThe digital version can be pre-loaded from November 12
• OfficialThe physical edition box contains a download code
• OfficialRockstar calls GTA 6 a single-player game

Pre-orders open

Pre-orders opened in the PlayStation and Xbox digital stores and at select partner retailers.

• OfficialPre-orders have been open since June 25, 2026

Take-Two reiterates its GTA 6 year outlook

With first-quarter results, Take-Two keeps its outlook of 8.0 to 8.2 billion dollars in net bookings and points to the excitement around the November 19 launch.

• OfficialTake-Two expects 8.0 to 8.2 billion dollars in net bookings in the fiscal year GTA 6 launches

Rockstar confirms the gameplay leak

A day before the Extended Look, Rockstar confirms that leaked gameplay clips are real, apologizes for the long wait and says the game is nearly finished.

• OfficialThe GTA 6 gameplay clips that leaked in August 2026 were real

First press previews from Rockstar North

IGN, El País, Esquire, Famitsu and others publish what they saw in Rob Nelson’s demo: the new wanted system, car theft, activities, the map size.

• OfficialThe GTA 6 map is bigger than GTA 5’s
• Reliable sourceA wanted level starts only if a witness, an alarm or a camera reports the crime

Extended Look

26 minutes of gameplay captured in-game on PS5: a wanted level up to six stars, character switching, activities. It premiered on Netflix and then went up on YouTube.

• OfficialThe Extended Look was captured in-game on PS5
• OfficialThe wanted level goes up to six stars again
• Seen in footageYou can switch between the protagonists, as in GTA 5

GTA VI DualSense controllers announced

Sony and Rockstar announce black and white limited-edition controllers for $84.99. They ship on November 19; pre-orders open on September 10.

• OfficialSony releases two GTA VI DualSense controllers on November 19

Photos of an alleged Collector’s Edition

An X user posts photos of large “Vice City Leonida” boxes he says he packed in Mexico, then deletes them. Rockstar hasn’t announced a collector’s edition.

• OfficialRockstar is releasing a GTA 6 Collector’s Edition

Twitch CEO expects GTA 6 online in 2027

Dan Clancy tells Bloomberg he expects GTA 6 multiplayer next year. Rockstar and Take-Two haven’t announced a date.

• RumorGTA 6’s online mode launches in 2027

Take-Two: single-player at launch

At the annual meeting, Strauss Zelnick says GTA 6 launches as a single-player game in 13 languages, with no recurrent player spending expected at launch.

• OfficialRockstar calls GTA 6 a single-player game
• OfficialAt launch, GTA 6 is localized into 13 languages

GTA VI: The Album announced

Rockstar and Atlantic Records announce a 34-song album that comes out with the game on November 19. The first six singles go live the same day.

• OfficialGTA VI: The Album, with 34 original songs, comes out on November 19, 2026

“Welcome to Vice City” sign goes up on the Kaseya Center

A helicopter lifts the letters of Rockstar’s “Welcome to Vice City” sign onto the roof of the Miami Heat’s arena in downtown Miami, part of a deal worth nearly $1 million with Miami-Dade County.

• Reliable sourceA “Welcome to Vice City” sign now sits on the roof of Miami’s Kaseya Center

Rockstar announces a $399.99 Collector’s Box

Pre-orders open on the Rockstar Store for The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection: 11 merch items themed on Macca the Gator, one per person, shipping from November 19. The game is sold separately.

• OfficialRockstar is releasing a GTA 6 Collector’s Edition
• OfficialThe GTA 6 Collector’s Box doesn’t include the game

Game Informer’s GTA 6 cover story comes out

Issue 382 of Game Informer comes out with a 14-page GTA 6 cover story and 12 new screenshots. Rockstar describes the weather of Leonida, counts more than 170 animal species, calls the map about twice the size of GTA 5 and rules out the central Florida theme parks.

• OfficialLeonida has tropical storms and hurricanes
• OfficialGTA 6 has more than 170 animal species
• OfficialThe central Florida theme parks are not in GTA 6

The ESRB rates GTA 6 M for Mature 17+

The ESRB rates GTA 6 M for Mature 17+ with the same seven content descriptors as GTA 5, plus In-Game Purchases. Around the same time the game shows up as PEGI 18 in Europe and R18+ in Australia.

• OfficialThe ESRB rated GTA 6 M for Mature 17+
• OfficialIn Europe GTA 6 is rated PEGI 18
• OfficialIn Australia GTA 6 is rated R18+, with sex scenes among the reasons

LOVE magazine’s GTA 6 issue goes on sale

Issue 27 of LOVE comes out with Rockstar’s artwork of Jason and Lucia on one of six covers and an interview with the team. Four new screenshots were released with it on October 2.

• OfficialGTA 6 is on one of the six covers of LOVE magazine’s issue 27, out October 5
• OfficialJason and Lucia want a house and to pay off their debts, not to become billionaires

The Verge reports Xbox streaming rights for GTA 6; Xbox says not exclusive or to PC

The Verge reports that Xbox Cloud Gaming can stream GTA 6 from launch. Matthew Ball replies on X that the game will not stream exclusively or to PC. Rockstar has not commented.

• Reliable sourceXbox has reportedly secured game streaming rights for GTA 6, according to The Verge
• OfficialXbox says GTA 6 will not stream exclusively or to PC

IGN publishes the full Rob Nelson interview

IGN releases the whole conversation recorded in July during a 30-minute demo at Rockstar North, with new details on robberies, locked cars, the partner at the wheel and the relationship.

• OfficialYou can rob almost any shop, and robberies fill much of the time between story missions
• OfficialNelson sees no gameplay bonus for romance: the pair stay partners in crime either way

Rockstar reveals six GTA 6 radio stations, podcasts and two new album singles

Rockstar names Cocoteo FM, Back Country Radio, AfroBank FM, The Chamber 106.6, Flash FM and Dirty South Classics, confirms on-demand podcasts and listening on foot through headphones, and releases singles by Fuerza Regida and Cardi B.

• OfficialThe first six stations revealed are Cocoteo FM, Back Country Radio, AfroBank FM, The Chamber 106.6, Flash FM and Dirty South Classics
• OfficialGTA 6 is the first game in the series with on-demand podcasts
• OfficialRadio and podcasts play on foot too, through headphones and earbuds connected to the phone

Germany’s USK rates GTA 6 18

The USK checks the PS5 version and gives it no youth rating, as it did the Xbox Series version on September 13. By October 20 Japan’s CERO has rated the game Z, also 18+.

• OfficialGermany’s USK rated GTA 6 18, with no youth rating
• OfficialJapan’s CERO rated GTA 6 Z, for ages 18 and up

GamesBeat reports GTA 6 is planned for PC in the first quarter of 2027

Citing four industry sources, GamesBeat says Rockstar plans to release GTA 6 on PC between January and March 2027, months after the November 19 console launch. Rockstar did not comment.

• Reliable sourceThe PC version of GTA 6 is planned for the first quarter of 2027

Bloomberg Businessweek publishes a feature on how GTA 6 was made

Jason Schreier’s report from Rockstar North covers Project Americas, the two delays, crunch, leaks and staff growth, with interviews with Rob Nelson, Aaron Garbut, Phil Hooker, Jennifer Kolbe and Jonathon Ashcroft.

• Reliable sourceIn 2015 GTA 6 was code-named Project Americas and planned with parts of North and South America
• Reliable sourceOutside missions Jason and Lucia can meet up by text, walk in a park, train at the gym and rob a store together
• Reliable sourceIn one internal session, Phil Hooker played for about two hours without reaching the mission he set out for
• Reliable sourceJason and Lucia sweat according to effort: dancing hard in a nightclub makes them sweat more

Rockstar releases the GTA 6 Launch Trailer

A 90-second Launch Trailer comes out five weeks before release. It debuts “Flower in a Hurricane”, and Rockstar names Justice as the composers of the game’s original score.

• OfficialRockstar released the GTA 6 Launch Trailer on October 15, 2026
• OfficialJustice, the French duo, composed the original score of GTA 6

Take-Two reports its second quarter

Take-Two publishes its July to September results after the US market closes, ten days before GTA 6 launches, and holds a call at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.

• OfficialTake-Two reports its July to September quarter on November 9, 2026

Pre-loading and physical copies

The digital version becomes available to pre-load, and the physical edition with a download code in the box goes on sale.

• OfficialThe digital version can be pre-loaded from November 12
• OfficialThe physical edition box contains a download code

The Miami Heat play as Vice City

The night before GTA 6 comes out, the Miami Heat host the Milwaukee Bucks at the Kaseya Center as Vice City, on a one-off court and in a new uniform. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. Eastern, on ESPN.

• OfficialOn November 18 the Miami Heat play the Milwaukee Bucks as Vice City

GTA 6 launches

GTA 6 comes out on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

• OfficialGTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026
• OfficialAt launch, GTA 6 comes out only on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S

The Game Awards 2026

The Game Awards take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. GTA 6, out on November 19, makes the November 20 cutoff.

• OfficialGTA 6 can compete at The Game Awards 2026: the cutoff is November 20