Rockstar Games has released the much-anticipated first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) following an early online leak.
The gaming giant, renowned for its groundbreaking open-world crime series, is gearing up for another defining chapter after the phenomenal success of Grand Theft Auto V, which sold over 190 million copies since its 2013 release.
The trailer provides a tantalising glimpse into the world of GTA 6, hinting at a 2025 release date and a return to the iconic Vice City, Rockstar's fictional Miami setting last featured in 2006's GTA: Vice City Stories.
Introducing Lucia, the game's dual protagonist, the trailer showcases her in a prison uniform during a parole interview, transitioning to scenes of illegal Floridian escapades, featuring alligators, fast cars, flamingos, strip clubs, and rooftop parties.
In a series first, Lucia takes the spotlight as the first female protagonist in an open-world GTA game. The trailer, complemented by Tom Petty's Love is a Long Road, captures the essence of the city's hard-partying sleaze with visuals oscillating between sun-kissed beaches and neon-lit signage.
Despite the trailer's scheduled release on December 5, Rockstar unveiled it 13 hours earlier due to the leak on X (formerly Twitter), adorned with a prominent Bitcoin-related watermark. This move initiates over a year of anticipation and speculation, building hype for the game's official launch.
Rockstar has previously grappled with leaks, including a hack that exposed 90 minutes of in-progress game footage and unverified clips on TikTok from an individual claiming to be the son of a Rockstar employee.
Despite these challenges, unveiling the GTA 6 trailer marks a pivotal moment in the gaming community's excitement for the forthcoming instalment.