Rockstar Releases Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer, Launch Window Finally Revealed

The highly anticipated "Grand Theft Auto 6" reveal was supposed to happen on December 5, but an abrupt leak spoiled those plans for the studio. Minutes after the trailer was leaked on X, formerly Twitter, and the bad actor's account was swiftly suspended, Rockstar officially released the "GTA 6" reveal video and also announced a release date.

The first trailer for "Grand Theft Auto VI" confirms a 2025 release date, contrary to internet culture jokes and memes claiming that fans will grow silver hair before the game is out. Vice City once again takes center stage in the upcoming game, loaded with the typical anarchist mayhem and violence you expect from a game in the famed series.

"GTA 6" follows the events in "GTA: Vice City" and the spin-off "GTA: Vice City Stories" that was released back in 2006. The protagonists this time around are Lucia and Jason, and fittingly, their world is set against a backdrop of a criminal underbelly showcased in all its glitzy charm where they are seen pulling off robberies in broad daylight.

A 2025 release for "GTA 6" is somewhat reassuring for fans, as AAA titles of this caliber usually take their own sweet time in the development pipeline following a brief teaser to keep up the hype. "Cyberpunk 2077" is the best example of one such maneuver. Curiously though, Rockstar's trailer doesn't reveal what gaming platforms the upcoming title will target.

The trailer, however, does give a hint about the game's new elements. We see TikToks, because it's the era of viral short videos after all, and plenty of live streams. It won't be surprising to see mission elements built, or at least conveyed, via live streams. It's also the first time that the protagonist in a "GTA" title is a female character.

Moreover, instead of a retro '80s-inspired backdrop, all the action heists and hijinks are set in the modern era, with plenty of cars, luxurious locales, and tons of chaos, including a fat alligator waltzing into a retail store. We are awaiting more details about hardware compatibility and gameplay elements, but those will likely be released in the coming months.

Following the early release of the first "Grand Theft Auto VI" trailer, Rockstar Games also published an official press release for the upcoming title, confirming the big details that were largely already leaked. As expected, "GTA VI" will be available to purchase and play on the Xbox Series X|S and the PlayStation 5 starting sometime next year, though a specific day-and-month release date in 2025 hasn't yet been provided.

Rockstar is teasing that "GTA VI" will bring the "biggest, most immersive evolution" to the game series to date, though we'll have to wait to see exactly what it means by that. As well, the company's founder Sam Houser said as part of the company's press announcement, "Grand Theft Auto VI continues our efforts to push the limits of what's possible in highly immersive, story-driven open-world experiences." It's unclear at this time when the second "GTA 6" trailer will go live.

It has been a tad over a full decade since the release of "Grand Theft Auto V," which hit consoles on September 17, 2013, as well as PCs a couple of years later. Regardless, that release came only a few years after the launch of 2008's "GTA IV," but fans weren't blessed with such a rapid release schedule for the latest and greatest franchise installment. Though there may still be several months of waiting ahead of us, confirmation that the next game will arrive next year is good news for eager fans. 

Things may not be so rosy for PC gamers, however, as it looks like Rockstar's history will repeat itself. The company mentions only the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 versions of the game with regards to its 2025 release — and this wouldn't be the first time "GTA" fans on PC have had to wait. The current installment, "Grand Theft Auto V," was originally launched only on the Xbox 360 and PS3, making Windows users wait a couple of years for the PC variant to hit shelves in early 2015.

Rockstar had planned to release the first trailer and key details about "Grand Theft Auto VI" on December 5, but a surprise unofficial release forced the company to drop the goods a day early. The trailer first appeared online via an X account (now suspended), though it's not the first time the game has suffered at the hands of eager leakers. 

Earlier in 2023, the game suffered an even bigger leak when dozens of videos showing gameplay and development processes surfaced online. Fans were quick to analyze the footage, which revealed some additional — though still unconfirmed — information about the next installment, such as some combat system adjustments. As with any early leak, however, there's a chance that what fans saw in those videos will no longer be present in the final version of the game, as it's common for things to be tweaked, overhauled, and scrapped entirely during the lengthy development process.

Rockstar says the game is set in the state called Leonida, and though it hasn't revealed any additional details, we can make some educated guesses about what to expect based on the first trailer. Of note are the vehicles present, which include some new additions alongside updated versions of vehicle models seen in previous versions of the game. There's the Sabre back for another round in "GTA VI," for example, making a dramatic appearance at the end of the trailer.

Some vehicles can be spotted in aerial footage captured from the in-game helicopter, including the Blista Compact and the Porsche-inspired Comet. While fans get a very nice look at the Ferrari-esque "Cheetah" supercar, there's barely a glimpse of what appears to be an emerald green Pegassi Ignus hypercar as it zooms past going the opposite direction of the aforementioned supercar. Of course, many other vehicles, some entirely new, are sprinkled throughout the game footage.