GTA 6 release date rumours, leaks, characters, and news

The past year has passed with nary a mention of GTA 6, at least nothing official, though leaks and rumors have circulated.

With Red Dead Redemption 2 out of the way and Rockstar not appearing to be overly focused on its online gaming elements, it would seem logical that the developer could be hard at work on the next Grand Theft Auto game.

If and when GTA 6 is released, we can expect the game to have a familiar mix of driving, shooting, and heists, as well as some elements that will evolve the game from its current incarnation in GTA 5. It is unclear how it will accomplish this, but each iteration of GTA has built significantly on the previous.

GTA 6 release date rumors

It's almost a given that GTA 6 is in the works. The only unknown is when developer Rockstar Games will decide to release the new installment. So far, Rockstar has only said "stay tuned."

According to the most recent rumour, GTA 6 could be released in 2023, based on publisher 2K's large expected marketing budget for the 12-month period ending on March 31, 2024, as detailed in a recent financial statement. Rockstar, on the other hand, has denied the rumour, telling Gamesindustry.biz that the projections are based on third-party commitments.

A recent job posting for a "Cinematic Gameplay Capture Artist" on Rockstar's careers page could be interpreted as a good omen for upcoming news. This position, which is essentially a person who will record gameplay trailers, could indicate that Rockstar intends to reveal some GTA 6 gameplay in the near future.

Snoop Dogg (via Rolling Stone) claims that his long-time creative partner Dr. Dre is working on music for an upcoming GTA game. This could be for the recently announced remastered Grand Theft Auto Trilogy or the PS5/Xbox Series X edition of GTA V, but without further confirmation, Dre could be working on GTA 6.

GTA 6 platforms: PS4, PS5, and more

In terms of consoles, the potential 2023/4 release date means we'll be well into the PS5/Xbox Series X generation. However, if Rockstar is feeling generous, it may release a version for the PS4 and Xbox One.

Rockstar has previously ported GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 to PC following their respective console releases, so a PC port appears to be a possibility.

GTA 6 characters and story leaks

The GTA series does not follow a single group of characters or even a single location across all of its games. Anyone hoping to see more of Michael, Franklin, or Trevor should keep their hopes low.

The same can be said for Los Santos and its surroundings. However, given that Los Santos has appeared in previous games in the series (GTA: San Andreas), it's possible that we'll be returning to Liberty City (from GTA IV), Vice City (GTA: Vice City), San Fierro or Las Venturas in GTA 6, or perhaps a whole new real-world-inspired city in the game's adaptation of the United States.

There have been rumors that Rockstar is interested in Tokyo, but since Rockstar's vice president Dan Houser has stated that "GTA is America," it's unlikely that the game will cross virtual borders in that way.

In terms of narrative beats, there's no doubt you'll be indulging in the usual mix of crimes and heists with the odd glimpse into the strange lives of the heroes and villains.

According to a leak from last year, we'll get a story similar to Netflix's Narcos, with a focus on the operations of gangs and cartels on both sides of the US/Mexico border as seen through the eyes of a player character named Ricardo.

The "Project Americas" leaks piqued fans' interest by claiming a game in development for nearly eight years, with three cities to explore: Liberty City, Vice City, and a new Rio de Janeiro-inspired location set in the 1970s and 1980s. However, it's become clear that the leaker couldn't back up what they were saying, so while imagining what this game would have been like is fun, it's not what we'll get.

GTA 6 setting

It was speculated that GTA 6 would take place in the 1980s, effectively returning the game to Vice City, which is Rockstar's take on 1980s Miami. That theory, however, may not come to fruition.

A new job posting at Rockstar India suggests a modern setting for GTA 6, which is supported by speculation for rather a reliable tipster Tom Henderson. It's unclear what form this modern-day setting will take; we're hoping for a London setting.

As things stand, much is left to speculation rather than hard facts and reliable leaks. In any case, there will be a lot of satire and a lot of open areas to explore.

GTA 6 online

Because of the regularly updated GTA Online mode, GTA V has had a long life after its initial release in 2013. This allows you to play a wide range of game modes or simply free-roam around the map with other players, earning money to spend on cars, clothing, weapons, and player housing.

As a result, it's very likely that a sequel will be released alongside GTA 6. It's possible, however, that the two experiences will end up being separate. GTA Online debuted a month after the single-player portion of the game, and with consoles now capable of installing specific parts of a game rather than the entire package, Rockstar may decide to separate the two.

In any case, long-time GTA Online players should be able to transfer their in-game earnings and items to the new game. Rockstar has made a lot of money off of players spending money on microtransactions in GTAO, and no doubt some players don't want it all to go away with the transition to a new generation.