GTA 6 is a mystery, we know it is very likely in development but Rockstar is holding their cards very close to their chest and have revealed nothing about the game.
In the meantime though, it looks like Xbox Game Pass members have a little something to look forward to as GTA V has made a return to the platform, even being playable on mobile via xCloud.
READ MORE: Seven GTA 6 Rumours That Just Aren't True
Here's everything we know about GTA 6 so far and what those in the know are saying.
LATEST - Rockstar May Have Leaked The Location
Way back in 2002, the year Vice City was released, Rockstar registered the domain RockstarCartel.com.
It doesn't appear that the domain was ever used as nothing can be found on Waybackmachine.
But, recently Rockstar has renewed the domain, perhaps hinting at what we can expect from the next entry in the series.
It's not uncommon for a publisher to register many domains surrounding a new game.
Many of these go unused and are just secured in case they are needed.
Quite often many of these become public knowledge as domain registrations are publicly available.
So it is possible the domain expired a long time ago, but with many fans believing GTA 6 will be set in Vice City, Rockstar may have been worried a fan might grab the domain name and make a fake website.
Leaker Says GTA 6 Will Be Set In The Modern Day
The time period of GTA 6 is a topic that is subject to much debate and speculation.
Rumours have suggested it could span multiple time periods, such as modern-day and the 1970s.
However, prominent leaker Tom Henderson has stated that the game will be set in the modern day.
While we can't confirm if this is true or not, he did accurately leak Battlefield 6 news so has credentials.
But, until Rockstar officially reveals the game then it is just speculation and should be taken with a grain of salt.
GTA 5 Back On Xbox Game Pass
It's a move no one saw coming, but GTA 5 is actually back on Xbox's Game Pass service from April 8th.
It will be joining the service the same day as the following three titles:
- Zombie Army 4: Dead War
- Disneyland Adventures
- Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure
This could mean an announcement about the next-gen version of GTA 5 is on the way, but we're not sure this means anything in terms of GTA 6 news.
READ MORE: Forget GTA 6, GTA 5 Is The Ultimate GTA Experience
We're still expecting GTA 6 to be a year away at the very least following the announcement of the next-generation release for GTA 5. Still, this could be done as a prelude celebration for a statement from Rockstar Games. Only time will tell.
Could GTA 6 Be Influenced By WoW?
Last year saw the addition of the Cayo Perico Heists to GTA Online, the first time the map had been expanded since its launch in 2014.
Could this be a test for GTA 6?
With the game rumoured to take place in many different locations, it is possible we could see expansion packs released for the game, much like MMORPGs such as World Of Warcraft.
This could allow them to create a vast expansive world without having to delay the game for longer than it already will be, the current rumour is a 2023 release so a decade after GTA V.
We could also see the game return to many iconic, and even new locations.
Classic locations such as Liberty City, Vice City, and San Andreas could all be in the game, as well as a return to London.
GTA 6 will feature a single-player mode
Whilst GTA 6 is yet to be officially confirmed, we have good news if you're a fan of the single-player modes on the Rockstar franchise.
Take-Two Interactive - one of the key brains behind the GTA franchise - has confirmed that whilst multiplayer, online experiences are a dominant force in the current climate, they won't be turning their back on single-player modes.
"There was an argument just a couple of years ago, not around here, not in this shop, but in some of our competitors' offices, that single-player is dead, that it's all about multiplayer. We didn't believe that. I said specifically and publicly that we didn't believe that, our labels don't believe that"
So fear not single-player fans, you'll still have an expertly produced storyline mode to crack on with if/when GTA 6 comes around.
Job Listings Hint At Trailer Reveal
Rockstar is currently advertising for a “Cinematic Gameplay Capture Artist” to work in their New York studio.
The role is responsible for shooting in-game footage for use in online and TV campaigns, it definitely sounds like they're gearing up to reveal something.
It is also interesting that the job listing mentions that the successful candidate must be a world-class player on both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, as of right now Rockstar hasn't released a game on either next-gen system.
So while this indicates that no trailer is ready to be revealed yet, it shouldn't take them too long to put one together, so a official reveal could be coming this year.
Classic Trilogy Remasters
GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas were released on the PlayStation 2 during the early 2000s.
They all became instant classics and are still highly regarded today.
It is being reported that Rockstar are working on remastering the classic trilogy to help tide players over while they wait for GTA 6 to be released.
As of right now the collection hasn't been officially confirmed by Rockstar, but it is expected to be announced later this year with a late 2021/early 2022 release date.
Last-Gen Ports
The last generation of consoles, the PS4 and Xbox One, were released back in 2013.
In 2020 we saw the release of the new next-gen systems, the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, which will mean that the previous-gen will eventually be phased out and discontinued.
With the current rumoured released date for GTA 6 being a few years away, the next-gen will be passed its transition phase where games are released for both generations at the same time.
By the time GTA 6 could release the last-gen consoles will likely be a decade old, which means that it is very unlikely we will see a PS4 or Xbox One version of GTA 6, and even less so for the Xbox 360, which may be old enough to drink by the time Rockstar's next entry in the series is finally released.
PS2 Trilogy Set To Be Remastered
With the expected release date for GTA 6 being a few years off, it looks like Rockstar will be bridging the gap by remastering the PS2 trilogy, GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas.
With the current pandemic, most developers are working from home, which will understandably slow down the development of games.
We have seen many instances of this already throughout 2020 and 2021 and will likely continue to see games delayed over the coming months.
This could be the reason why GTA V is coming to the new next-gen consoles later this year, and why there is currently a rumour of GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas being remastered.
Nothing has been officially announced yet, but with the next-gen version of GTA V on the horizon, we may hear about this sooner rather than later.
Did Rockstar Just Tease Reveal Date?
In a recent GTA Online update, the Vetir vehicle was added to the game.
To showcase it they released a promo image of the truck with the name VETIR.
While on the surface this just seems like a regular promo image, looking deeper into it could hold some clues.
By taking apart the letters, especially with the way the font looks, we can see VI 7 11.
This could indicate either a July 11th or November 7th teaser date, depending on which side of the pond you live at.
GTA 6 Name Leaked
The GTA series has seen numerous variations when it comes to its naming structure.
From the regular Grand Theft Auto with a number, to the more spin-off variant like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
It has been suggested that the next entry in the series will combine both of them, with a clever play on words.
It has been rumoured that the next title in the series will be called Grand Theft Auto VI(CE) CITY.
By looking at the map for the "Height Of Society" from GTA Online's recent racing DLC, it does show a potential hint of the next game being focused around Florida and Mexico.
This could hint at the next location for GTA 6 since Vice City is based on Miami.
Release Date
So far there has been no official release date given, in fact there hasn't been an official announcement of its existence.
But, with GTA V launching back in 2013 it is very safe to say that GTA 6 is in development
Job Listing Hints At GTA 6
A job listing was posted on Monster looking for an environment artist to "Join our team to create next-generation worlds".
It is fair to assume this is referring to upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X games.
In the listing it states one of the responsibilities as "creating and texturing environment assets for the biggest and best open-world environment in the industry".
When players think of the best open-world games, Grand Theft Auto is always top of that list, as well as Red Dead Redemption.
But with Red Dead Redemption 2 launching in 2018, it is very likely referring to a new GTA game.
A 2023 Release?
According to Venture Beat, Take-Two Interactive (the parent company of Rockstar) are looking to spend a massive $89 million in marketing during 2023/2024.
This would indicate that the company will be looking to promote a massive game, such as Grand Theft Auto.
With a decade passing since the release of GTA V, that sounds entirely plausible.
Will Star A Female Protagonist
It is being reported that, for the first time since 1997, the Grand Theft Auto series will see a female protagonist in the upcoming GTA 6.
GTA games have always had male protagonists, such as CJ from San Andreas and Trevor from GTA V.
The only other time that a female protagonist has been in the game is the original GTA 1 from 1997.
On the PC version of the game the player has the option to choose between 8 characters, 4 male and 4 female.
However, since GTA 1 is very basic in its presentation, the character choice has no impact on the game, it just changes the hair colour, skin tone, and clothing colour.
Since then, as the series went 3D, we have always seen the main character be male.
According TomHenderson, the next GTA title will have both a male and female protagonist, and they will both be playable, much like how GTA V had 3 different main characters.
Tom Henderson is a trusted Call of Duty leaker, so although he isn't known for GTA leaks, he is trusted enough in the community for this to have some weight to it.
However, until GTA 6 is officially announced by Rockstar, this will remain a rumour, but one that definitely seems like it could happen.
Platforms
With a potential 2023 release window, we will be right in the middle of the next generation lifecycle, meaning that is is extremely unlikely we will see the game release on either the PS4 or Xbox One.
Instead it will release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
GTA V didn't release on PC for two years after the console release, but with the popularity of the PC version of GTA V it is likely we will see a launch of GTA 6 on PC from day 1, or at least fairly close to it.
GTA V Next Gen
The PlayStation 2 saw 3 GTA games released on it, GTA V will have been released on 3 PlayStations by the end of 2021.
GTA V is scheduled to be ported to both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2021, offering upgraded visuals, frame rate, and resolution over the last gen counterparts.
Could this be Rockstar's way of getting used to developing for next generation hardware before officially announcing GTA 6 on the systems?
After all, they wouldn't want a Cyberpunk 2077 on their hands and face backlash if the game released broken.
READ MORE: GTA 6 Release shouldn’t make the same mistakes as Cyberpunk 2077
Map
One aspect of the game that players are eager to find out is where the game will be set.
The game has always centred around Liberty City, Vice City, and San Andreas.
With those being the three locations in the original GTA game, and also the locations of the three GTA games released on PS2.
Since then we have seen Liberty City return in GTA 4, and San Andreas return in GTA V.
So that just leaves Vice City.
It has long been speculated that GTA 6 will see players head to Vice City, which is based on Miami.
Missions
It has been rumoured that the game will feature a 100 hour story mode, filled to the brim with dozens of missions.
With the size of next gen games, it is very likely we will see an install of around 200GB, so we could definitely see a very large campaign.
100 hours may be a bit much, but definitely 50-70 hours.
Online
GTA Online is a huge part of Rockstar's portfolio, generating over $700 million per year in revenue.
This could also be part of the reason why they haven't rushed to release GTA 6, because they are generating huge amounts of money with the online side of the game.
The mode recently saw its first map change since the game launched, a sign that more changes could happen in the future.
With the release of GTA 6 it is unlikely the online side will stay in Los Santos, instead transferring over to the new map.
Rockstar could also be using the online part to test features, such as the single player heists in the Cayo Perico expansion.
READ MORE: Dr Dre Guest Stars In New GTA Online Cayo Perico Heist
GTA 6 NPCs Will Be Self Aware
Rockstars Games has applied to patent a new technology called "System and Method for Virtual Navigation in a Gaming Environment".
The patent describes a new system that will allow for NPCs to act intelligently and react to situations and hazards in real-time.
This is explained in the patent, with it stating that,
"As an additional drawback, conventional systems relied almost entirely on local traffic avoidance for NPCs to avoid collisions. This involves, each frame, checking the local environment for any potential obstructions (vehicles, pedestrians, objects), building up a view of that obstruction from the local vehicle (creating a `front facing` polygon which is a list of points/lines that the vehicle will need to avoid in order to not hit the obstruction), generating information about the road the vehicle is on so they can avoid going off-road into buildings and finally generating and detecting the best steering angle to avoid all the obstructions. This is done every frame for each entity and no knowledge of the previous frame is used. This can result in very late detection of potential issues and no high level knowledge of `this road is blocked;` instead, the system only indicates that there's something in my way to be avoided. Vehicles cannot plan accordingly, for example, if there is any type of road blockage."
But this new system will allow the NPCs to react to situations in real-time and plan new routes if their current one is blocked.
READ MORE: GTA 6 rumors that we hope are true
The NPC could also decide to avoid the highway altogether if the player is going on a 5-star rampage with a rocket launcher.