If you’ve spent any time in gaming circles over the last decade, you’ve almost certainly joined the endless conversations about Rockstar’s next massive open-world release. GTA 5 has sold over 200 million copies and stayed in top sales charts for 10 years straight, so it’s no surprise fans are hungry for the next entry in the franchise. If you’re here, you’re almost certainly asking when is GTA 6 gonna come out, and we’ve sorted through all the official announcements, credible insider leaks, and industry analysis to cut through the noise and give you only the most reliable information.
Official Rockstar Announcements That Confirm When Is GTA 6 Gonna Come Out
Rockstar first officially confirmed GTA 6 was in active development back in February 2022, in a short statement posted to its social media channels. The company stayed quiet for almost two years after that, until it dropped the first GTA 6 trailer in December 2023, which racked up over 100 million views in its first 24 hours on YouTube, breaking records for video game trailers. Rockstar has explicitly stated the initial 2025 release window applies only to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with no mention of other platforms in the initial announcement.
We’ve also gotten consistent confirmation of the 2025 window from Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, during its quarterly earnings calls. Take-Two has repeatedly noted that GTA 6 is expected to drive record revenue for the company during its 2025 fiscal year, which runs from April 2025 to March 2026, which lines up with the fall 2025 release window most industry analysts are predicting. Rockstar hasn’t narrowed down the release to a specific month yet, and it’s important to note that the studio has a history of pushing release dates back if the game isn’t up to its internal quality standards.
So far, there’s no indication of a delay, but don’t be surprised if we don’t get a specific release date until a few months before launch. Rockstar typically only shares exact release dates once it’s 100% sure the game will be ready, to avoid disappointing fans with last-minute pushes.
Key Leaks That Add Context to the GTA 6 Release Timeline
Back in September 2022, a massive leak of early GTA 6 development footage hit online forums, with over 90 videos and thousands of pages of development notes shared publicly. Rockstar confirmed the leak was real shortly after, stating that it was a breach of its internal systems, but that it didn’t expect the incident to impact long-term development plans. The 2022 leak included over 90 videos of pre-alpha gameplay, confirming the Vice City setting and dual protagonists long before the first trailer, so a lot of the rumors you’ve seen about the game’s setting and characters actually come from that verified leak.
Credible insiders with a long track record of accurate Rockstar leaks, including Tez2 and Jason Schreier, have shared that internal playtests of GTA 6 have been going very well over the last year, with no major technical issues or content cuts that would require a delay past the 2025 window. These insiders have also noted that Rockstar is aiming to avoid the crunch culture that marred the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, so the studio is giving its team enough time to polish the game without forcing excessive overtime.
It’s important to note that most random leaks you see on TikTok, Twitter, or random gaming forums are fake. Any leak that claims to have an exact release date right now is almost certainly made up, as even Rockstar’s internal teams likely don’t have a final exact date locked in yet. Stick to proven insiders and official announcements if you want accurate information.
What We Know About Platform-Specific Release Dates for GTA 6
One of the most common questions fans have after asking about the general release window is which platforms will get GTA 6, and when. Rockstar has only confirmed new generation consoles so far, but we can make very accurate predictions for other platforms based on the studio’s past release patterns:
Rockstar has a long history of delaying PC releases to optimize for a wide range of hardware configurations, so don't expect a simultaneous PC and console launch. The studio spends extra time on PC ports to make sure they run well on everything from budget laptops to high-end gaming rigs, and it also uses that time to crack down on potential cheating before the PC version launches, which is a big priority for the GTA online community.
There’s no word on a Nintendo Switch version yet, but it’s possible we could see a cloud version of GTA 6 for Switch a year or two after launch, similar to the cloud versions of GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 that are available on the platform now. A native Switch version is extremely unlikely, as the hardware isn’t powerful enough to run the game’s expected open world features.
How to Avoid Fake GTA 6 Release Date Scams
With hype for GTA 6 at an all-time high, scammers are taking advantage of eager fans to steal personal information and money. There are hundreds of fake pre-order links, fake giveaway sites, and fake news posts popping up every week claiming to have the exact release date for the game, so it’s important to know how to spot these scams.
Rockstar will never announce a specific GTA 6 release date exclusively on social media, or require you to click a third-party link to claim a pre-order. All official release date announcements will be posted first on Rockstar’s official website and its verified social media channels, and pre-orders will only be available through official platform storefronts and authorized retailers. Any listing for a GTA 6 pre-order with a specific day and month release date before Rockstar makes an official announcement is 100% fake.
You should also ignore any videos or posts that claim to have early access to GTA 6, or that ask you to enter your personal information to sign up for a beta test. Rockstar only runs closed beta tests for its online modes very close to launch, and it only invites players who have signed up through its official website, not through random third-party links. If a site asks for your credit card information, Social Security number, or gaming account login details to get early access to GTA 6, it’s a scam, and you should leave the site immediately.
Sticking to official Rockstar channels and trusted gaming news sites is the best way to avoid these scams, and it will also make sure you only get accurate, verified information about the game’s release.
At the end of the day, the short answer to when is GTA 6 gonna come out is 2025 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a PC release coming 12 to 18 months later, and no plans for last generation console releases right now. We’ll update this post as soon as Rockstar shares more specific information, including an exact release date, pre-order details, and any announcements about extra content or special editions. For now, the best thing you can do is be patient, as Rockstar’s track record shows that the extra development time always leads to a better final game that’s worth the wait.
