GTA 6: Rockstar Games release date on PS5 and Xbox, when is game coming out, announcement - latest news

In the ever-evolving landscape of gaming, few franchises command the level of anticipation, speculation and fervour as Grand Theft Auto.

The beloved series, with its blend of open-world freedom, satirical storytelling and jaw-dropping immersion, has carved an indelible niche in the hearts of gamers worldwide.

Now, as we find ourselves reflecting on a notable milestone - the 10-year anniversary of 2013's GTA V that quietly passed a few days ago - it's becoming increasingly impossible to ignore Rockstar Games' silence on the blockbuster title's sequel.

So just exactly what is going on with GTA 6? Let's consider the rumours, speculation and hints, and explore everything we know (or don't know) about the enigmatic sequel, including its setting and characters. Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is GTA 6?

Rockstar officially announced that a follow-up to 2013's GTA V was in development in February 2022 after years of rumours and leaks.

Though the game - the eighth main Grand Theft Auto game and the series' 16th overall - is expected to be a follow-up to GTA V, it's worth noting that it has not been confirmed to be called GTA 6, and at the time of writing remains an untitled Grand Theft Auto game.

Shortly after the release of GTA V over a decade ago, Rockstar North's president, Leslie Benzies, hinted that the company had "some ideas" for the next instalment in the series, sparking early speculation and excitement among fans.

Five years later in 2018, it was reported that the upcoming game was code-named "Project Americas", and was rumoured to be primarily set in a reimagined Vice City and an additional South American setting. It was also suggested that the game would feature the series' first female playable protagonist.

In April 2020, further reports indicated that the game was in its early stages and would be a "moderately sized release" that would expand over time, with a map that could evolve and change with regular updates, similar to that of popular games like Fortnite.

When it confirmed that development was "well underway" Rockstar declared it intended to "significantly move beyond what we have previously delivered".

What's been confirmed?

One of the more infamous moments in the GTA 6 story came in September when 90 videos, amounting to a 50-minute glimpse into the work-in-progress world of the game, were unleashed upon GTAForums by a user known only as "teapotuberhacker."

The hacker also claimed to have infiltrated Rockstar's internal Slack groups, and said they had gained access to valuable assets in the form of source code, assets and internal builds not only of the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI but also of its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V.

Jason Schreier, a reputable gaming journalist writing for Bloomberg News, sought confirmation from reliable sources within Rockstar, who verified the authenticity of the leaked footage.

The Guardian, in its own report, revealed that the footage spanned various stages of the game's development, with some clips dating back approximately a year.

The videos themselves showed a contemporary Vice City, and featured animation and gameplay tests, level layout and bare-bones character interactions between would-be protagonists, Jason and Lucia. The dual protagonists were seen in the footage infiltrating a strip club and executing a heist in a diner.

However, the leaked footage faced a barrage of unwarranted criticism from online users, who wrongly believed that the simplified and unfinished test graphics and art assets seen in the clips were representative of the final product.

The leaked content was far from being a true representation of what will be the eventual finished game, and numerous developers rallied to Rockstar's side, sharing work-in-progress footage from their own blockbuster products and shedding light on the iterative nature of game development.

When will it be released?

And really, that's all we know about the game as of this moment. No release date for GTA 6 has been confirmed by Rockstar, which is yet to provide even the slightest of hints as to when we might see the game on shop shelves.

Of course, that hasn't stopped eager fans coming up with their own theories, and many players think that, 10 years on from the initial release of GTA V, its follow-up could be arriving sooner rather than later.

Recent weeks have seen GTA 6 trending on social media, fuelling speculation and excitement among fans. That's all down to an alleged recording featuring the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games.

According to the purported recording, the Take-Two boss appeared to confirm launch plans for GTA 6, and suggested that not only would the game be officially revealed on 23 October, it could be released approximately 12 months later.

Additional reports also proposed that the unveiling of GTA 6 might occur as early as 4 October, though that date has come and gone and we've heard no official word from Rockstar.

Fans with a keen eye noted that Rockstar Games had refrained from pinning a tweet for over two weeks, a departure from their usual social media activity, leading some to speculate that a significant announcement from the developer was imminent.

Adding to the intrigue, certain Rockstar websites had been temporarily taken down for maintenance, further fueling the speculation of an impending announcement.

The demand for information and updates on the new GTA remains high, and it's clear that Rockstar Games has successfully cultivated a dedicated and enthusiastic fanbase that eagerly awaits any morsel of information about the upcoming title.

But that has also manifested as growing frustration from fans stemming from Rockstar Games' prolonged silence on the matter.

Infamously, an individual making reference to the game garnered significant media attention due to a series of disruptive incidents during live shows, including storming the stage at Gamescom's Opening Night Live in August.