Grand Theft Auto 6. It’s a game that is as mysterious as it is hotly-anticipated. The Grand Theft Auto series is the fifth best selling video game franchise ever. And as a singular video game, GTA V is the second best selling of all time. By 2018, it had made over $6 billion – an almighty achievement. But the wait for its sequel has been a long one and fans are desperate for something new. As fantastic as the last game is, it has certainly run its course and frustration has been mounting amongst gamers for some time. That’s because very little information has been shared about the sequel, as well as Rockstar’s continued focus on GTA Online (which may as well be a money printing machine at this point). So, is GTA 6 coming out? And what do we actually know about the game to date?
What is GTA?
Let’s first take a look at the history of the series. GTA began in 1997 with the release of the eponymous first game – Grand Theft Auto. The original GTA title was initially released for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows, followed soon after by versions for PlayStation and Game Boy Colour. The series provides players with an action-packed open-world to explore. You take control of criminals and drive and shoot your way to success in each game. The franchise features satirical recreations of real-world cities. This includes Liberty City (New York), San Andreas (Los Angeles), and Vice City (Miami).
GTA Games
Many GTA games have been released since 1997 – seven main titles and numerous spin-offs, expansions, and remasters. The following titles are considered main Grand Theft Auto games:
Grand Theft Auto (1997), Grand Theft Auto II (1999), Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004), Grand Theft Auto IV (2008), and Grand Theft Auto V (2013).
How long has GTA 5 been out?
The last main entry in the series was Grand Theft Auto V. GTA 5 was first released on 17th September 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. That means GTA 5 has been out for nine years. It was subsequently re-released on PS4 and Xbox One in 2014, PC in 2015, and PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2022.
New GTA
Almost a decade has gone by since the previous Grand Theft Auto game was released. And gamers have been asking when a new GTA will be released for a long time. The gap between the series’ previous entries was relatively short, and players have grown tired of the prolonged wait for a contemporary instalment. And it was only recently we finally received confirmation that a new game is on the way…
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto 6
In February 2022, publisher Rockstar Games confirmed in a tweet that “active development for the next entry in the series is underway.” Little else was said, but it’s safe to assume the “next entry” they’re referring to is the long-awaited GTA 6. There’s always the possibility the game won’t be a numbered instalment – like GTA: San Andreas and GTA: Vice City – however, this seems unlikely given the amount of time since GTA 5 was released. Plus, the company would surely want to ensure as much excitement for it as possible. And the best way to do that would be to call it GTA 6, making it a definitive mainline instalment.
GTA 6 release date
When will GTA 6 be released?
When will GTA 6 be released? Unfortunately, that’s unclear – and it may be quite far away. Rockstar haven’t shared any form of official confirmation regarding a release date for GTA 6. However, in a follow-up tweet the company promised to share more information “as soon as we are ready”.
The lack of information hasn’t stopped people from speculating. And numerous possible release dates have been shared online by fans and journalists alike. They range from anywhere between 2023 and 2026. However, one possible window appears to be sometime from April 2023 to March 2024. How do we know? Well, in May 2020 VentureBeat reported that Take-Two Interactive – which owns Rockstar Games – expects to spend $89 million on marketing for the year ending 31st March 2024. The report went on to suggest this could indicate a significant product launch – such as GTA 6.
Sadly, VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb would later issue the following correction, seemingly debunking the theory. “Take-Two clarified to GamesBeat that this marketing-obligation metric refers only to its contracts with third parties. It does not reflect its marketing budget for internal studios like Rockstar Games. That means this does not indicate a timeline for Grand Theft Auto VI. I apologize for this misleading error.” So, we still have no realistic idea of when GTA 6 will see the light of day.
GTA 6 trailer
There is no trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6. Rockstar are yet to confirm anything significant about it (except that it’s being made), so don’t expect a trailer any time soon. When one does finally arrive, hopefully it’ll live up to the insanely high expectations everyone has for the game.
GTA 6 for PS4
GTA 6 is a long way off – we’re confident of that. But do we have any idea which platforms it’ll be released on? What about older consoles? Will GTA 6 be on PS4? If Rockstar want to deliver on their promise of significantly moving beyond what they’ve done before, releasing Grand Theft Auto 6 on last-gen consoles is highly unlikely. PS4 (and Xbox One, for that matter) are almost a decade old. We expect GTA 6 will be released for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC only.
Will there be a GTA 6?
GTA 6 announcement
What we do know for sure is that there will be a GTA 6. Rockstar Games has confirmed as much. What’s less clear is when it’ll arrive and what the game will be about. It’s nice to have had the official announcement from Rockstar, but with little else shared since then it’s difficult to get excited. Hopefully we’ll hear more about GTA 6 soon. At this rate, The Elder Scrolls VI will be released first…
When do you think GTA 6 will be released? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
