GTA VI preorders begin June 25 as Rockstar unveils cover art and November release date

The announcement

Rockstar broke weeks of silence today with a short video that reveals the cover illustration of Grand Theft Auto VI. The post, published across its social channels, drew more than 11 million views in a few hours, accompanied by thousands of enthusiastic comments from fans. No new gameplay footage was included, but the move signals that the promotional engine is finally ramping up.

“The extra development time was a worthy investment.”

Preorder details

Preorders open on June 25 across digital storefronts on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, as well as at selected physical retailers. Rockstar has listed the title on wishlists in the PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store already, but the exact list of retail partners has not been published. No special editions or preorder bonuses were announced alongside the date.

Pricing speculation

Neither Rockstar nor Take-Two Interactive disclosed a price. Analysts cited in reporting expect a base price of $80, though some models have pointed as high as $100. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told investors earlier this year that the company’s variable pricing model was designed to deliver value for money.

“The situation is very, very exciting and terrifying because the expectations are so high.”

The setting and the protagonists

The new game returns to Vice City, a fictionalised Miami, and follows the criminal couple Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Lucia is the franchise’s first playable female protagonist. The cover collage, reminiscent of earlier GTA titles, mixes the neon palette of Vice City with weapons, sports cars, speedboats and alligators.

A franchise that towers over the industry

The 2013 predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V, reached $1 billion in sales within three days and has since sold more than 230 million copies, making it the second best-selling video game of all time behind Minecraft. GTA VI was originally slated for 2025 before being pushed back twice, with Take-Two saying the game’s scale justified the extra time.

The controversy that shadows the hype

Since the first entry in 1997, the series has been accused of glorifying violence and encouraging criminal behaviour, allegations the publisher rejects. In GTA, players sell drugs, rob, engage in car rampages, assault sex workers and visit strip clubs. A 2022 development leak saw unfinished footage spread online in one of the largest such incidents in gaming history.