At a glance
| GTA 5 (2013) | GTA 6 (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | Los Santos and Blaine County, San Andreas (California-style) | Vice City and the state of Leonida (Florida-style) |
| Playable leads | Three: Michael, Franklin, Trevor | Two: Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos |
| Map size | — | About twice GTA 5's, per Rockstar North |
| Launch platforms | PS3, Xbox 360 (PC in 2015) | PS5, Xbox Series X/S (no PC announced) |
| US launch price | $59.99 | $79.99 Standard, $99.99 Ultimate |
| Online at launch | GTA Online two weeks later | None announced, single-player |
| Boxed copy | Discs | Download code, no disc |
Setting: California out, Florida in
GTA 5 parodied Los Angeles and the California countryside. GTA 6 goes back to Vice City, last visited in the 2000s Vice City games, but now as a modern city inside a whole state. Leonida adds the Keys, the Grassrivers wetlands, the coastal town of Port Gellhorn, industrial Ambrosia and the Mount Kalaga wilderness.
Characters: a duo instead of a trio
GTA 5 let you switch between three men with separate stories that crossed. GTA 6 is built around two partners. Lucia has just come out of prison, and Jason is an ex-soldier working for smugglers in the Keys. Rockstar presents them as a pair who have to rely on each other.
Map: bigger and denser
In preview interviews, Rockstar North's Rob Nelson said the GTA 6 map is about twice the size of GTA 5's and three times Red Dead Redemption 2's. He also said Vice City alone is about twice the size of Los Santos. No exact figure is published yet. More in our map size article.
Price and editions
GTA 5 launched at the then-standard $59.99. GTA 6 costs $79.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 for the Ultimate Edition in the US. Every purchase before November 20 includes the Vintage Vice City Pack, and digital pre-orders add a month of GTA+.
Online: the biggest difference on day one
GTA Online arrived on October 1, 2013, about two weeks after GTA 5. For GTA 6, Rockstar has announced no online mode at all, and calls the game a single-player experience. Take-Two says the current GTA Online will keep getting support after GTA 6 launches. Details in our GTA 6 Online article.
Download and storage
GTA 6 needs up to 212 GB for its pre-load, depending on the console. Boxed copies are just a code, so there is no disc install. Pre-load opens on November 10.
What is not confirmed yet
- How many missions and how long the story is. Rockstar has not published an official figure.
- A PC version and its date.
- Exact map size in km².
Quick answers
Is GTA 6 a sequel to GTA 5's story? Rockstar hasn't said so. It is a new story with new leads in a new state.
Can I play GTA 6 on the same console as GTA 5? Only on PS5 or Xbox Series X|S.
Is GTA 6 more expensive? Yes: $79.99 vs GTA 5's $59.99 launch price in the US.
What this means for you
- If you loved switching between three characters in GTA 5, expect a tighter two-person story.
- Plan for more travel, more water and a bigger city.
- Keep GTA Online if you play it. It isn't going anywhere yet.
Sources
- Rockstar Games — Only in Leonida
- Rockstar Newswire — Pre-order Grand Theft Auto VI on June 25
- Take-Two — Rockstar Games announces pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI
- Rockstar Support — Platforms, editions and versions
- Rockstar Newswire — Pre-load begins on November 10
- VGC — GTA 6's map is three times bigger than Red Dead Redemption 2
- Beebom — Take-Two confirms support for GTA Online after GTA 6 launch