GTA 6 Timeline: Every Trailer, Delay and Official Reveal (2023–2026)
From Rockstar's first announcement in November 2023 to the Extended Look, the album and the collector's box — every official GTA VI video, delay and reveal, in order, with what each one confirmed.
Every official GTA VI moment, in order — with the dates and details from Rockstar's own Newswire posts and videos. Watch every official video while you follow along.
November 8, 2023 — The announcement
In a message signed by Sam Houser, Rockstar confirmed that "in early December, we will release the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto." A Newswire post on December 1 named the slot: Tuesday, December 5 at 9 a.m. ET.
December 4, 2023 — Trailer 1
A leaked copy surfaced hours early, so Rockstar posted the trailer on the evening of December 4 — around 6 p.m. ET — and told fans to watch "the real thing" on YouTube. It confirmed the return to Vice City, introduced Lucia, and set a release window: "Coming 2025 to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S." The song was Tom Petty's "Love Is a Long Road."
It broke records. Guinness World Records lists it as the most viewed videogame reveal on YouTube in 24 hours — 90,421,491 views — and the most viewed non-music YouTube video in 24 hours; Take-Two's own count was 93 million views in 24 hours. It now has nearly 300 million YouTube views.
May 16, 2024 — Fall 2025
Take-Two's annual results narrowed the window from calendar 2025 to fall 2025.
May 2, 2025 — First delay
Rockstar moved the launch to May 26, 2026: "We are very sorry that this is later than you expected," adding that it needed "this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve."
May 6, 2025 — Trailer 2
Four days later came Trailer 2 — "captured entirely in-game from a PlayStation 5, comprised of equal parts gameplay and cutscenes," set to The Pointer Sisters' "Hot Together." Rockstar relaunched its GTA VI site the same day, introducing the full cast, the six regions of Leonida and the official synopsis. Take-Two later said it drew over 475 million views across platforms in 24 hours.
November 6, 2025 — Second delay
The final date: "Grand Theft Auto VI will now release on Thursday, November 19, 2026." Rockstar said the extra months would let it "finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve."
June 18, 2026 — Cover art and pre-order date
A 33-second video revealed the official cover art — the classic GTA grid of panels — and Rockstar announced that pre-orders would begin on June 25 "on digital storefronts and at other select retailers."
June 25, 2026 — Pre-orders open
Pre-orders opened at midnight local time on June 25 for both editions. The announcement also set the launch details: GTA VI is "a single player experience," digital pre-orders can pre-load from November 12, and the physical version is a download code in a box, available from November 12. Prices: $79.99 for Standard and $99.99 for Ultimate — see our pre-order guide.
August 6, 2026 — Extended Look announced
A 25-second teaser announced GTA VI: An Extended Look for August 27, with an unusual rollout: a Netflix premiere at 3 p.m. ET, then Rockstar's YouTube channel and the official site at 9 p.m. ET.
August 7, 2026 — Date reaffirmed
Take-Two's quarterly results tied its full-year outlook to "the November 19th launch of Grand Theft Auto VI" — the most recent time the publisher restated the date.
August 27, 2026 — An Extended Look
Twelve weeks before launch, the Extended Look arrived: 26 minutes 48 seconds "captured entirely from in-game footage on PlayStation 5" — by far the longest official look at the game.
September 17, 2026 — GTA VI: The Album
Rockstar announced GTA VI: The Album — 34 original tracks, made in partnership with Atlantic Records, out November 19 — with six singles from artists including Travis Scott, Morgan Wallen and Keith Richards.
September 24, 2026 — The Vice City Collection
Pre-orders opened for The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection, a $399.99 collector's box of Macca the Gator merch, sold separately from the game.
What's next
- November 12: pre-loading opens at midnight local time, and physical code-in-box copies become available.
- November 19: launch. Store listings unlock it at midnight local time in each region — check yours with the release-time tool.
We add every new official reveal here the day it happens, and the newsletter gets it the same day.
Sources
- A Message from Rockstar Games (Nov 8, 2023) — Rockstar Newswire
- Grand Theft Auto VI — Watch Trailer 1 Now — Rockstar Newswire
- Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Coming May 26, 2026 — Rockstar Newswire
- Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Set to Launch November 19, 2026 — Rockstar Newswire
- Grand Theft Auto VI Pre-Orders Begin on June 25 — Rockstar Newswire
- Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look — Rockstar Newswire
- Why did the GTA 6 trailer release early? — Sportskeeda
- Most viewed videogame reveal on YouTube in 24 hours — Guinness World Records
- Take-Two Q1 FY2027 results (Aug 7, 2026)
Get the next guide in your inbox
New guides, official news and launch-week alerts — straight to you.
Keep reading
GTA 6: An Extended Look — 27 Minutes of In-Game Footage
Rockstar's longest look at GTA VI yet: 26 minutes 48 seconds captured entirely in-game on PS5, premiered on Netflix. Watch it here, plus what it confirms and what it means for launch.
How Big Is the GTA 6 Map? What We Actually Know About Leonida's Size
Rockstar hasn't published Leonida's size. Here's what's official, what the community map shows — nearly 3,000 mapped places across six regions — and how Rockstar described GTA V's world for comparison.
GTA 6 Trailer 2: Everything Rockstar Revealed With It
Trailer 2 arrived on May 6, 2025 — 2:47 of footage captured entirely in-game on PS5, set to The Pointer Sisters, with a relaunched GTA VI site that introduced the full cast and all six regions.