Grand Theft Auto VI (pre-release)
Vice City, USA. Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
— Rockstar Games, official Grand Theft Auto VI site
Grand Theft Auto VI is the upcoming eighth mainline entry in Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto series, and the first since Grand Theft Auto V (2013). Set in the fictional U.S. state of Leonida — a satire of modern Florida — the story follows the criminal couple Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval. The game is scheduled to launch on Thursday, November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. A PC release has not been confirmed for launch.
This page summarizes everything Rockstar has officially confirmed during the pre-release period (trailers, newswire posts, People & Places, editions, and storefront listings). Unverified leaks and pure speculation are kept out of the main facts below.
Overview
| Type | Mainline Grand Theft Auto title |
| Developer / publisher | Rockstar Games |
| Launch platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Launch date | November 19, 2026 |
| Protagonists | Lucia Caminos, Jason Duval |
| Setting | Leonida (Vice City and beyond) |
| Official hub | rockstargames.com/VI |
Rockstar positions VI as the biggest evolution of the series yet: dual protagonists, a return to Vice City, and a state-wide map that goes far beyond a single metro area.
Release history
Rockstar has moved the public release window twice after the first trailer.
| Date | Announcement | Window / date |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 4, 2023 | Trailer 1 | 2025 (PS5 & Xbox Series X|S) |
| May 2, 2025 | Newswire delay | May 26, 2026 |
| Nov 6, 2025 | Newswire delay | November 19, 2026 |
| Jun 18–25, 2026 | Pre-order window + cover art | Pre-orders live June 25, 2026 |
Rockstar’s November 2025 note framed the final delay as extra time for polish after what fans already considered a long wait. As of this writing, November 19, 2026 remains the official ship date.
Pre-orders, pricing & editions
- Pre-orders began: June 25, 2026 (digital storefronts and select retailers).
- Standard Edition (US): $79.99
- Ultimate Edition (US): $99.99
- Digital preload: reported from November 12, 2026
- PC: not part of the launch platforms; historically Rockstar has shipped GTA on PC after consoles (GTA V was a notable example).
Pre-order bonus — Vintage Vice City Pack
Digital purchases made before the early post-launch window (commonly cited as through November 20) and physical pre-orders while supplies last include the Vintage Vice City Pack. Public details typically include:
- A classic ’55 Vapid Stanier plus a personal garage near Ocean Beach
- Special outfits and hairstyles for Jason and Lucia
- A retro-inspired weapon pattern
Ultimate Edition adds further premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and story-related extras (exact list lives on Rockstar’s editions page). Digital pre-orders have also been tied to a free month of GTA+.
Always double-check storefront fine print for your region and edition — bonuses and GTA+ terms can vary by platform.
Platforms
| Platform | Status |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | Launch platform — Rockstar markets “Plays Best On” PS5 |
| Xbox Series X|S | Launch platform |
| PC | Not confirmed for day one |
| Previous-gen (PS4 / Xbox One) | Not announced |
Setting — Only in Leonida
Grand Theft Auto VI is set in Leonida, Rockstar’s Florida-inspired state. The map showcases sun-blasted cities, wetlands, keys, and interior towns rather than a single open-world island.
Vice City
The Miami-inspired heart of the game. Rockstar’s tagline: “the darkest side of the sunniest place in America.” Neon, beaches, nightlife, social media culture, and modern crime all collide here. Vice City returns as a primary setting for the first time since the early 3D era games that made the name famous.
Other confirmed places
Rockstar’s People & Places / media pages have highlighted additional Leonida locations, including:
| Location | Real-world vibe (broadly) |
|---|---|
| Leonida Keys | Florida Keys — water, smuggling routes, island life |
| Grassrivers | Everglades-style wetlands and backcountry |
| Port Gellhorn | Working port / coastal industrial city |
| Ambrosia | Inland / small-city Leonida |
| Mount Kalaga National Park | Parks and wilderness interior |
The world satire leans into 2020s American culture: influencers, viral crime, bodycam policing, conspiracy content, and “Florida Man” energy — all filtered through classic Rockstar absurdity.
Story (official synopsis)
Rockstar’s public pitch is deliberately light on spoilers:
Jason and Lucia always knew the odds were against them. After an easy score goes wrong, they are pulled into a criminal conspiracy spanning Leonida and must depend on each other to survive.
The couple is widely described as a modern Bonnie and Clyde duo. Lucia is the series’ first non-optional female protagonist in a mainline GTA. Full mission structure, heist design, and ending(s) remain under wraps until closer to launch (or review embargoes).
Characters
Lucia Caminos
- Co-protagonist; first woman lead in a modern mainline GTA
- Rockstar blurb highlights a life of fighting for family, time in Leonida Penitentiary, and a drive for the “good life” her mother dreamed of since their days in Liberty City
- Trailer 2 and site materials frame her as smart, controlled, and finished with reckless moves after prison
Jason Duval
- Co-protagonist; wants an “easy life” that keeps getting harder
- Background touches include growing up around crooks, a stint related to the Army, and work with drug runners in the Leonida Keys
- Visually and tonally paired with Lucia as the other half of the central partnership
Supporting cast (officially introduced)
Rockstar expanded the cast around Trailer 2 with character cards and stills:
| Character | Role (official framing) |
|---|---|
| Cal Hampton | Jason’s friend; homebound, online-obsessed, casual paranoia, Coast Guard comms and conspiracy tabs |
| Boobie Ike | Vice City legend turned empire builder (real estate, club, studio — “Jack of Hearts”) |
| Dre’Quan Priest | Music-world figure tied to Only Raw Records with Boobie |
| Real Dimez (Bae-Luxe & Roxy) | High-school friends turned hip-hop / social media duo on Only Raw |
| Raul Bautista | Seasoned bank robber always hunting talent for high-risk scores |
| Brian Heder | Longtime Keys drug runner; Jason’s landlord / associate circle |
Expect more names as marketing ramps toward November 2026.
Marketing & trailers
Trailer 1 — December 4, 2023
- Official title Grand Theft Auto VI revealed
- Introduced Lucia/Jason, Vice City return, and the original 2025 window
- Rockstar advanced the premiere after a low-quality leak the same day
- Became a record-breaking non-music YouTube launch (tens of millions of views in the first day; later hundreds of millions lifetime)
- Featured Tom Petty’s “Love Is a Long Road”
Trailer 2 — May 6, 2025
- Full names Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos
- Deeper story and world footage (Rockstar stated cutscenes + PS5 gameplay capture)
- Accompanied by a major site update: dozens of screenshots plus People & Places blurbs
- Massive multi-platform view counts in the first 24 hours
- Soundtrack moments included tracks such as the Pointer Sisters’ “Hot Together” (among others)
Cover art & storefronts (June 2026)
- Official cover art revealed with the pre-order campaign
- Editions page, platform stores, and retail listings went live with Standard / Ultimate packaging
Further trailers, gameplay showcases, and hands-on coverage are expected as the marketing window intensifies through summer–fall 2026.
Development (high level, public)
Public reporting and Rockstar/Take-Two statements outline a long runway:
- Early work after GTA V; larger production after Red Dead Redemption 2
- Industry reporting previously used working titles such as Project Americas
- Built on RAGE
- First mainline GTA without longtime writer Dan Houser (left Rockstar in 2020)
- Take-Two and Rockstar have repeatedly stressed quality bar and polish as the reason for schedule changes
- Anticipation awards (e.g. Game Awards / Golden Joystick “Most Wanted” style categories) piled up in 2024–2025
Exact budget figures circulating in the press are unverified and should not be treated as official.
What is not confirmed (yet)
Useful for keeping this wiki honest pre-launch:
- Day-one PC date or specs
- Full GTA Online / VI multiplayer feature list and launch timing
- Exact map size comparisons vs GTA V
- Full mission / heist list
- Complete cast and voice credits
- Regional age ratings packaging variants beyond storefront defaults
When Rockstar posts hard facts, update this section rather than leaving rumor tables mixed into confirmed content.
Timeline snapshot
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2018–2020 | Pre-production / early production era (public reporting) |
| Feb 2022 | Rockstar confirms development “well underway” |
| Sep 2022 | Major unfinished-build leak (industry-wide coverage) |
| Nov–Dec 2023 | Trailer 1 campaign; title + 2025 window |
| May 2025 | Delay to May 26, 2026; Trailer 2 + site expansion |
| Nov 2025 | Final public delay to Nov 19, 2026 |
| Jun 2025–2026 | Pre-order date, pricing, cover art, editions |
| Nov 12, 2026 | Expected digital preload window |
| Nov 19, 2026 | Launch (PS5, Xbox Series X|S) |
Media gallery
Official-style stills already available on this site for articles and embeds:
For higher-resolution marketing downloads, use Rockstar’s Media & Artwork section on the official site.
External links
- Official Grand Theft Auto VI site
- Only in Leonida / People & Places
- Editions & pre-order info
- Rockstar Newswire — Nov 19, 2026 date
- Rockstar Newswire — May 26, 2026 delay
- Rockstar Newswire — Trailer 2
- Rockstar Newswire — Pre-orders June 25
See also (wiki stubs to create next)
- Lucia Caminos
- Jason Duval
- Vice City
- Leonida
- Vintage Vice City Pack
- Trailers (GTA VI)
Canonical page: /wiki/general/grand-theft-auto-vi-pre-release
