Featured Image Credit: Rockstar
Topics: GTA, Gaming, PlayStation 5, Xbox, Technology
Tom Earnshaw
The big countdown to Grand Theft Auto VI is finally on, with it now as little as a year away, depending on when Rockstar finally confirm it'll be released.
But the release date won't be good news for all gamers, with a large chunk of them having to wait to get their hands on GTA 6.
At this point, Rockstar Games has been developing the open world game for years, with it among the most highly anticipated games of all time - if not the most anticipated.
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The first trailer for the game was released in December last year, with it pretty much breaking the internet after dropping a day earlier than planned due to it being - surprise, surprise - leaked.
And with more than 200 million views to its name on the official Rockstar YouTube channel alone, the hype is very much real for those who can't wait to get their hands on a copy or digital download.
If, for some bizarre reason, you've not seen it, have a gander below. Same goes if you need reminding of what's to come:
There is no doubting that it'll be a stunning visual experience. With GTA 5 still looking incredibly fresh despite being released 11 years ago, we're sure the longevity will be there equally with GTA 6 - if not more so.
But it won't be an experience that every GTA fan can enjoy.
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Ultimately, it will come down to the hardware that you've got in your home.
Those who have splashed out on a PlayStation 5 are in the clear, with it the most powerful gaming console on the planet.
The same goes for those who have an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.
Sadly, for everyone else, the good news stops there. And yes, that includes PC gamers.
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Owners of gaming consoles from yesteryear - we're talking the PS4 and Xbox One - won't be able to experience GTA 6 without upgrading to the latest generation of consoles.
Take-Two Interactive, which owns Rockstar Games, explained: "Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., is proud to announce that Grand Theft Auto VI is coming to PlayStation 5 computer entertainment systems and Xbox Series X|S games and entertainment systems in 2025.”
PC gamers might feel begrudged by being left out in the cold with the PS4 and Xbox One crowd.
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Especially given how much they like to blow their own trumpet about PC gaming being more powerful and generally superior to any console that's available to buy.
For the previous generation of consoles it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, especially when we've got comments from Rockstar’s Sam Houser saying that the team has pushed the 'limits of what’s possible' when it comes to the next instalment of the franchise.
Ultimately, the PC crowd should, maybe, have seen it coming as well. Rockstar has prioritised console releases for the vast majority of its titles, with games coming to PC afterwards.
Rockstar says GTA 6 will arrive on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in the second half of 2025. No date has been released at this stage.
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Rumours are putting it down for an October release, with a run up to Christmas, a prime time for sales across the world.
When it comes to PC, little to nothing has been said. But if we look GTA 5, it was released to console in September 2013.
The PC port then came about in April 2015, which was a massive 19 months later.
If that remains the case here, and an autumn 2025 release is on the cards, we could be looking at a date around May 2026. Ouch.
Speaking this week, former Rockstar Games technical director Obbe Vermeij left fans divided over what he thinks could be coming their way with GTA 6.
Vermeij said: "I don’t think it’s going to be wildly different from GTA 5.
"I think maybe people might be a little disappointed on the first day but it’s still going to be the best game out there. It’s going to be a good game for sure."
Despite this just being Vermeij's opinion - something he makes very clear - it hasn't stopped fans of the gaming franchise from giving their opinions. One person commented: "Might as well stick with GTA V."
A second said: "Course it won’t be, I feel GTA 6 will flop."
A third wrote: "Not a big shock. I imagine the gameplay loop will remain largely unchanged as it has for the last decade."