Grand Theft Auto V has been one of the most successful media franchises in history, since it first launched in 2013, and now its upcoming sequel has been unofficially revealed in one of the worst leaks in the industry’s history.
Rockstar Games first made an official announcement around the game’s existence back in February 2022 but, since then, there have been few details confirmed, while rumours speculate the series will see a female protagonist for the first time.
The publisher has now confirmed the leaks were indeed real, with numerous screenshots and video clips showing an early build of the game through a “network intrusion”.
Footage has also shown the game will indeed be set in and around Vice City, a fictionalised version of Miami that first appeared in the GTA franchise in 2002.
There have been plenty of questions around how this unprecedented leak could impact the game’s final release date, which Rockstar has yet to officially confirm.
Will the ‘GTA 6’ leaks delay the game?
A Message from Rockstar Games pic.twitter.com/T4Wztu8RW8
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 19, 2022
While the leaks will inevitably be a headache for the publisher and all the people who have spent years working on the game, it appears there are no plans to delay its release, according to Rockstar’s recent statement on the matter:
“We recently suffered a network intrusion in which an unauthorised third party illegally accessed and downloaded confidential information from our systems, including early development footage for the next Grand Theft Auto.
“At this time, we do not anticipate any disruption to our live game services, nor any long-term effect on the development of our ongoing projects.
Read more: Save 15 per cent on FIFA 23 at Currys
“We are extremely disappointed to have any details of our next game shared with you all in this way. Our work on the next Grand Theft Auto game will continue as planned and we remain as committed as ever to delivering an experience to you, our players, that truly exceeds your expectations.
“We will update everyone again soon and, of course, will properly introduce you to this next game when it is ready.
“We want to thank everyone for their ongoing support through this situation.”
The footage that was seen was described as “early development”, indicating that what was shared online was not indicative of what is likely to be released at a later date.
Where will ‘GTA 6’ be set?
From what has been released in the leaked footage, it is now all but confirmed that the next game in the series will be taking place in Vice City, based on the game’s Florida-inspired locations, as well as “VCPD” being shown on the side of police cars, possibly referring to Vice City’s Police Department.
Rockstar Games also plans on adding new content to the game after launch, with updated missions and even cities being added to the game as time goes on. There are also suggestions the new game will feature even more interiors than before, with an even larger open world than we’ve seen in a GTA title so far.
In a report from Bloomberg, the developing title for the next Grand Theft Auto has been “Project Americas”. The original scope for “Project Americas” would have seen the game based on various parts of continental America, including countries based in the north and south. While the latest reports suggest the game will focus on Miami, the news of additional cities being added post-launch might mean we’ll see more of these settings in the future. Previous GTA titles have primarily been set in cities of the United States, such as Liberty City (New York) and Los Santos (Los Angeles). We’ll keep you posted once we have more information.
Who will be the main character in ‘GTA 6’?
Originally reported byBloomberg, the chance of the next Grand Theft Auto seeing its first female protagonist is now also much more likely, with much of the leaked footage showing a Latin American woman holding up a diner. Like GTA V, the latest title will feature more than one protagonist, with the latest game heavily based on the real-life criminals Bonnie and Clyde, according to someone familiar with the game’s development.
GTA V was the first in the series to introduce three playable protagonists, Michael, Trevor and Franklin, so the next in the series would follow a similar pattern, with players able to swap between characters in and between missions.
When could we hear more about the ‘GTA 6’ release date?
The statement released by Rockstar Games confirming the authenticity of the leaks suggested that fans of the series were likely to hear more about their upcoming game “soon” when the game is ready.
Rockstar Games has seen a large overhaul to its work culture, according to the Bloomberg report, as a result of crunch deadlines, bullying and other “frat-house antics”. The company has also tried to cut down on its overtime, hire more producers to avoid crunch and remove offensive content, such as transphobic jokes, from updated releases of GTA V.
Production on Grand Theft Auto VI has been slower than expected, largely due to the pandemic but also due to these changes, as employees grow accustomed to working at this new Rockstar. But many say morale is higher than ever and that the cultural changes are well worth it.
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) July 27, 2022
The company changes, along with the global pandemic, has meant that development on the game has been slower than expected. But, according to employees, morale is much higher, so while we may have to wait a little longer, it will be worth it.
So, what timeframe could we expect to see for Rockstar Games’s next title? If we take a look at the announcement strategy and subsequent release schedule of Rockstar Games’ last major original release, Red Dead Redemption 2, it followed a similar pattern. It was first teased in October 2016 before the official announcement a day later, with a release scheduled for the second half of 2017. The game then saw two subsequent delays: firstly to early 2018 before finally being given an official release date of 26 October 2018.
We’ll be sure to keep you posted once we have more concrete information about the confirmed release of the next instalment.
‘GTA 6’ official announcement details
In a February 2022 blog post titled “Grand Theft Auto Community Update”, Rockstar revealed its plans for another GTA release: “With the unprecedented longevity of GTA V, we know many of you have been asking us about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series.
“With every new project we embark on, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we have previously delivered – and we are pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway.
“We look forward to sharing more as soon as we are ready, so please stay tuned to the Rockstar Newswire for official details. On behalf of our entire team, we thank you all for your support and cannot wait to step into the future with you!”
Struggling to get hold of one of the new consoles? Check out our continuously updated PS5 stock tracking page or our Xbox series X stock tracking page
