Rockstar has finally drawn a clean circle around May 26, 2026. That’s the new date—bumped from a broader 2025 target—and it gives the studio room to polish what already looks like a wild step up. The footage we’ve seen so far paints modern Vice City (within the state of Leonida) as sunburnt by day, neon-slick at night, and alive in a way that may outpace previous GTA sandboxes. Two leads—Lucia and Jason—share the spotlight, and the “partners in crime” energy appears to shape the tone.
Trailers, at a glance. No spoilers, just vibes: beachfront chaos, swampy backroads, airboats and muscle cars, and a social-media lens on life in Leonida. Crowds feel denser. Wildlife pops where you don’t expect it. Highways breathe. It’s the kind of trailer you pause just to scan tiny details—billboards, shop names, the color of the sky before a storm—because those bits often telegraph systems Rockstar likes to hide in plain sight.
Where you’ll play first. At launch, GTA 6 is confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. There’s no PS4/Xbox One version, which is unsurprising given scope. The PC question is still the PC question: nothing official for day one. History suggests a later port (think GTA V), but timelines being tossed around online are, at best, educated guesses. If you’re platform-agnostic and impatient, console is the safe bet.
Subscriptions on day one? That’s almost certainly a no. The publisher has been plain about day-one subscription economics not making sense for its big-ticket launches. Could that stance soften someday? Sure. But if you’re banking on Game Pass or PS Plus to play at release, plan for disappointment and be pleasantly surprised if the world flips.
What to play while the clock crawls.
Add a small “GTA 6 Countdown” widget to your homepage and rotate two of these underneath Play While You Wait—it keeps the hype warm without overpromising.
Smooth browser play—tiny tweaks, big gains. Fullscreen your game, enable hardware acceleration, close heavyweight tabs/extensions, and favor Ethernet or clean 5 GHz Wi-Fi. If you run into stutter, try a fresh browser profile; it’s dull advice that somehow fixes half of the gremlins. For more, keep a short Lag-Fix Guide handy (/lag-fix/).
Mini timeline (so you don’t lose the thread).
- Dec 2023: Trailer 1 reveals Vice City/Leonida, 2025 window.
- May 2, 2025: Rockstar shifts to May 26, 2026.
- Trailer 2: Captured on PS5; store wishlists open.
Fast facts
- Release date: May 26, 2026 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
- Setting: Vice City & Leonida (modern day)
- Leads: Lucia and Jason
- PC: not announced at launch; likely later, not guaranteed
- Day-one subs: very unlikely (Game Pass / PS Plus)
FAQ (quick, honest answers)
Is May 26, 2026 locked?
That’s the date on the books. Could it move again? With games this large, it’s never impossible—but plan around May.
Will there be a PC version?
Probably later, based on history, but there’s no official PC date yet.
Any chance of day-one Game Pass/PS Plus?
Don’t count on it; current messaging points away from that.
Can I wishlist or pre-order?
Yes—store pages are live on PlayStation and Microsoft.
Is the map bigger than GTA V ?
The trailers imply a broader swath—city, coastline, swamps, highways—but size matters less than density, and density looks promising.