GTA 6: Your ultimate guide to gaming’s hottest mystery

WEB DESK: Nearly a decade has passed since the release of Grand Theft Auto 5, and fans are eagerly anticipating the sequel.

According to Decrypt, the massively popular open-world action franchise has achieved staggering success, with over 405 million copies sold to date, securing its position among the all-time best-selling game series.

As anticipation for the next installment builds, leaks, rumours, and limited developer announcements from Rockstar Games have fueled speculation about Grand Theft Auto 6.

What on earth is GTA 6?

GTA 6 is the tentative title for the sixth core installment of the much-anticipated beloved video game series. Its predecessor Grand Theft Auto 5 provided players with both single-player and multiplayer game modes, enabling them to undertake cooperative heist missions, carry out assassinations, engage in the synthetic stock market, acquire businesses, commit robberies, drive various vehicles, and much more.

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However, no official trailers, videos, or images have been released, and Rockstar Games has not disclosed the playable platforms for the game.

Expected release of GTA 6

Rockstar Games confirmed the development of the next Grand Theft Auto game in February 2022. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported in the previous year that GTA 6 had been in development since 2014, no specific release date has been announced.

However, sources indicated in 2022 that the game was “at least two years away,” implying a potential release as early as 2024.

Many of you have been asking about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series.

With every new project, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we've previously delivered. We're pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the series is underway.

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) February 4, 2022

CEO of Take-Two Interactive Strauss Zelnick, Rockstar’s parent company suggested in an August 2023 interview with CNBC that the game’s release might fall between April 2024 and March 2025, anticipating “record levels of operating performance” for the 2025 fiscal year.

It is pertinent to note that Rockstar Games’ VP of Writing, Michael Unsworth, who contributed to Grand Theft Auto 5, left the studio in August, raising questions about his impact on the game’s development.

GTA 6 leaks

In September 2022, an individual known as “teapottuberhacker” posted around 90 pieces of leaked content from GTA 6 on the GTAForums. Although these leaks were removed due to copyright infringement claims, they contained significant information about the game.

A Message from Rockstar Games pic.twitter.com/T4Wztu8RW8

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 19, 2022

The leaks were believed to originate from bug reports provided by quality assurance (QA) testers. Notably, 18-year-old Arion Kurtaj, a member of the cybercriminal group Lasus$, was convicted in the UK in August 2023 for hacking into Rockstar Games and leaking thE sensitive information.

The leaked content included gameplay footage showing a playable character named Lucia, alongside a character named Jason, engaged in a restaurant robbery and hostage situation.

Additionally, references to the Vice City Police Department (VCPD) and the Vice City Metro suggested that GTA 6 might be set in a locale resembling Vice City, a Miami-inspired setting from a previous game in the series. The presence of smartphones indicated that the game would likely be set in a more modern time period compared to the 1980s setting of GTA Vice City.

Multiple confirmed miscellaneous world events in #GTA6 pic.twitter.com/Te4QWSGCaD

— Dyllie (@_Dyllie_) October 16, 2022

GTA 6: What’s in Store?

Bloomberg’s September 2022 report indicated that GTA 6 would introduce a female character as a playable protagonist, marking a first for the franchise. This character was likely to be Lucia, with Jason serving as the second playable protagonist.

The game might also feature an “evolving” world, suggesting seasonal changes or ongoing updates to transform in-game maps over time.

Speculation has circulated for some time about the inclusion of in-game crypto rewards or cryptocurrency-related elements in GTA 6, although these rumours have not been confirmed. Some reports suggest that the game may incorporate cryptocurrency in a satirical manner, aligning with the satirical tone of previous titles in the series.

However, Take-Two Interactive’s involvement in NFT games through its acquisition of Zynga in 2022 leaves the company’s broader stance on crypto and NFTs uncertain.

As the rumors surrounding GTA 6 persist, fans must await further statements or the game’s eventual release.