A Decade of Anticipation
Grand Theft Auto V shipped in 2013, and for years the question of when GTA6 would arrive hung over the entire games industry. The GTA6 development history stretches across more than a decade of speculation, one major leak, two record-breaking trailers, and a single high-profile delay. Here is the confirmed timeline.
2022: Official Confirmation
Rockstar Games officially confirmed that the next Grand Theft Auto was in active development in February 2022. A few months later, in July 2022, the studio announced a major shift of resources and staff onto the new project, signaling that GTA6 had become Rockstar's central focus. Take-Two Interactive reinforced this in its earnings calls throughout 2022 and 2023, framing Grand Theft Auto VI as a cornerstone of its upcoming financial outlook.
September 2022: The Leak
In September 2022, one of the largest leaks in gaming history surfaced when unfinished GTA6 footage appeared online. Rockstar acknowledged the breach and confirmed it would not disrupt live services or the game's development. The incident became a defining moment in GTA6's pre-release story. See our 2022 leak breakdown.
December 2023: Trailer 1
Rockstar released the first official GTA6 trailer in December 2023, revealing Vice City, the state of Leonida, and dual protagonists Jason and Lucia. The trailer initially targeted a 2025 release window and shattered viewing records — explore the numbers in our Trailer 1 records guide.
2025: The Delay and Trailer 2
In 2025, Rockstar confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI would slip from 2025 into 2026 to meet its quality bar. Trailer 2 arrived in May 2026, focusing on Jason, Lucia, and the criminal conspiracy at the heart of the story.
2026: Locking the Launch
Pre-orders opened on June 25, 2026, and Rockstar locked the GTA6 release date to November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The long road from GTA V to GTA6 is finally nearing its end. For the latest, follow our GTA6 updates.