Grand Theft Auto VI is an upcoming action-adventure game developed and published by Rockstar Games. It is due to be the eighth main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2013's Grand Theft Auto V, and the sixteenth instalment overall. Set within the fictional US state of Leonida, based on Florida, the story follows the criminal duo of Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Players will be able to freely roam Leonida's open world, which features the Miami-inspired Vice City.
Early development began after Red Dead Redemption 2s release in 2018, following years of preliminary work, and principal production began in 2020. Rockstar's worldwide development teams more than doubled since Red Dead Redemption 2. Miami and its surrounding areas were extensively researched for the game's world, which parodies 2020s American culture. The protagonists' dynamic is inspired by Bonnie and Clyde, and the non-player characters were written to ensure players experience different areas of Vice City.
Following years of speculation and anticipation, Rockstar confirmed in February 2022 that the game was in development. That September, footage from unfinished versions was leaked in what journalists described as one of the biggest leaks in the history of the video game industry. Grand Theft Auto VI was formally revealed in December 2023. Following two delays and further leaks, it is scheduled to be released on 19 November 2026 for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Gameplay
Grand Theft Auto VI is a single-player, action-adventure game set within an open world that can be played from a third-person view as Jason Duval or Lucia Caminos. Players can choose to fight non-player characters (NPCs), steal vehicles, rob establishments or get into high-speed chases with police officers. In free roam, players have several options for activities, such as skydiving, wrestling, basketball, exercising, and scuba diving.
Throughout the game, players will be able to gain or lose weight as both Jason and Lucia, and if the player stays awake as either character for days on end, it will become visible on their faces. The game will have a Criminal Profile rating system that tracks each playable character's reputation based on their actions, similar to the honour system previously used in Red Dead Redemption 2. Rockstar has stated this system is not meant to portray Lucia and Jason as do-gooders, but will track whether each character keeps their crimes professional or commits unnecessary violence with in-game consequences that reflect their reputation.
In free roam, as Jason or Lucia, players can choose to split the two up to go and do their own activities or stay, hang out and do activities together. Their relationship will depend on the player's actions and, according to Rockstar, will be optional. Grand Theft Auto VI will feature a fully fleshed-out social media app called Snapmatic, returning from Grand Theft Auto V. The app is meant to parody 2020s social media trends and apps such as TikTok and Instagram. Players will have the option to change the appearance of Jason and Lucia, such as changing the hair, clothes and accessories.
Setting and characters
Grand Theft Auto VI is set within the fictional US state of Leonida, based on Florida; its map is reported to be three times larger than the playable area of Red Dead Redemption 2. The map includes Vice City, Grassrivers, and the Leonida Keys (inspired by Miami, the Everglades, and the Florida Keys, respectively). Additional locations include Ambrosia, Mount Kalaga National Park, and Port Gellhorn. The game world parodies 2020s American culture, with satirical depictions of social media and influencer culture, law enforcement tactics and technology like police body cameras, and references to Internet memes such as Florida Man.
The story follows a criminal couple: Jason Duval, who worked for local drug runners in the Leonida Keys after serving in the Army; and Lucia Caminos, the series' first non-optional female protagonist, who was imprisoned at Leonida Penitentiary after fighting for her family from Liberty City. Following a failed bank heist, the duo encounters a state-wide conspiracy and are forced to protect each other.
Other characters include: Cal Hampton, Jason's paranoid friend; Boobie Ike, who runs a business empire in Vice City; Dre'Quan Priest, owner of the record label Only Raw Records with Boobie; Bae-Luxe and Roxy, a musical duo signed to Only Raw under the name Real Dimez; Raul Bautista, a seasoned bank robber; and Brian Heder (Stephen Root), a long-time drug runner in the Keys and Jason's landlord.
Development Rockstar Games began preliminary work on Grand Theft Auto VI in 2014 after Grand Theft Auto Vs release, with early development starting in late 2018 following Red Dead Redemption 2. Principal production began in 2020, code-named Project Americas. Rockstar's worldwide development teams more than doubled since Red Dead Redemption 2s release. They avoided their standard crunch practices and making jokes about marginalised groups in the way prior games did. The game is expected to use the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine. It is the first main Grand Theft Auto game since the 1997 original (and the first overall since 2004's Advance) not to be written by Dan Houser, who left Rockstar in 2020.
Resources were reallocated from Red Dead Online and planned remasters in 2022 to prioritise development. Rumours and analysts suggested the budget surpassed , which would make it the most expensive game ever developed, though the figure remains unverified. Rockstar requested employees cease remote work and return to offices from April 2024 "for productivity and security" as the release date neared. The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) criticised Rockstar for contradicting promises to maintain flexible working conditions; employees were concerned that effects to health and morale could prompt resignations and crunch, especially as managers still maintained flexibility.
Rockstar fired 34 employees in October 2025, due to public discussion and distribution of confidential information. The IWGB accused Rockstar of union busting, stating the employees were attempting to unionise with labour organisers.
Research and design
The development team felt pressure after a decade of anticipation, though Rob Nelson, Rockstar North's head of development and co–studio head, noted internal pressure was greater; they sought to expand and improve upon their previous games, analysing them "with a critical eye" to recognise limitations from resources, technology, and time. The game has "a Bonnie and Clyde–type narrative", in contrast to previous series entries wherein romantic relationships were deprioritised, according to Rupert Humphries, Rockstar's senior vice-president of narrative. Nelson wanted characters to enable player self-expression while retaining their own distinct personalities and journeys. Characters were written to ensure the protagonists could experience all levels of Vice City's parties, based on Miami's hip-hop scene, from house parties and local bars to high-end clubs.
Miami and its surrounding areas were extensively researched for the game, and a dedicated research team was based in the city; Nelson said that "Florida and Miami have perhaps one of the most diverse and interesting populations in the world". The team organised field research trips, meeting with "anyone notorious or influential who'll take our calls", including law enforcement, club promoters, former criminals, and gun dealers.
The developers cross-referenced their stories with journalism and books to "get to the heart of which characters will bring the city ... to life", according to Jamie-Lee Lloyd, senior art director for characters, "while filtering them through the unique lens of GTA. The writers wanted to approach the city's culture with an open mind and avoid cynicism in character depictions, inserting what writer Michael Wiafe called "a sense of discovery" instead of repeated clichés. The team enjoyed Miami's music, particularly Miami bass and artists like Kodak Black and Sexyy Red.
One team at Rockstar's Los Angeles studio is mostly dedicated to working on NPCs, and the vehicle handling team consists of some racing drivers. The developers created additional pipelines and tools to expand the NPC population, with several teams collaborating to ensure their appearance, movement, and interactions make them feel alive. Rockstar engaged more than 50 street artists to design murals for the game, including for in-game locations like Stockyard, based on Miami's Wynwood neighbourhood. Stu Petri, vice-president of 2D/UI design, wanted to "build a vibrant, believable culture", ensuring the in-game brands served a purpose beyond simple jokes to "reflect the aspirations, aesthetics, and lifestyles" of the population. Rockstar worked with Miami-based stylist Jillian Carr from 2023 to design a "fashion ecosystem", imitating Miami's nuanced and developing fashion trends. She noted that "Vice City is built around vanity", reflected in the tourism, celebrities, and social media.
Release Details about Grand Theft Auto VI emerged from insider reports several years before its announcement, and the lack of official acknowledgement received media attention. Rockstar confirmed development was "well underway" on 4 February 2022. The game became highly anticipated, for which it won awards at the Game Awards and Golden Joystick Awards in both 2024 and 2025; scammers used the anticipation to promote malware and fraud through false promises of early access. A meme indicated bemusement that surprising events occurred ". Some publishers rescheduled games to avoid competition; Jason Schreier of Bloomberg News called it "a massive game of playing out across the entire video game industry". Industry figures hoped the game would set new pricing trends, and analysts predicted record-breaking revenue.
The game is planned to be released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S systems, with no Windows release scheduled as of September 2026. A former Rockstar producer said the studio typically develops for consoles first rather than personal computers because "it's always better to start with the constraints and then extend". In August 2026, Rockstar confirmed the game would run at 30 frames per second (FPS) on both consoles at launch.
The first trailer in December 2023 revealed a 2025 release window. Following March 2024 reports that the game was at risk of delay, Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive said it remained on schedule for late 2025. Employees were doubtful due to the amount of remaining work, and in May 2025, the game was delayed to 26 May 2026. In November 2025, the week after 34 employees were fired, Rockstar delayed the game to 19 November 2026 due additional polishing. Journalists noted the firings did not cause the delay but could impact deadlines; a Rockstar North employee said morale was "at rock bottom".
Promotion
Rockstar announced that the first trailer was set to premiere in December 2023 for the company's 25th anniversary. A low-quality version was leaked one day early on 4 December; Rockstar published the official version in response, revealing the title, protagonists, setting, release window, and consoles. The trailer broke some YouTube records within the first day, and surpassed the lifetime viewership of Grand Theft Auto Vs 2011 reveal trailer within two days, with 101 million views. It spawned several fan-created recreations, and its featured song, Tom Petty's "Love Is a Long Road", increased in popularity.