Anticipation for 2025 GTA VI Launch grows as trailer leaked early

The much-anticipated trailer for "Grand Theft Auto VI" took an early plunge into the internet, sparking a frenzy among gaming enthusiasts. Rockstar Games, the mastermind behind the series, officially announced that the sixth installment is set to hit the gaming scene in 2025.

Despite the unexpected sneak peek, the trailer swiftly amassed a staggering 32 million views on YouTube within its initial hours. Originally slated for a Tuesday release at 9 a.m. PST, the premature unveiling led Rockstar Games to address the situation on X (formerly Twitter), urging viewers to catch the official version on YouTube.

The gaming community has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of GTA VI, following the success of GTA V's launch in 2013. The leaked trailer introduces a new protagonist, Lucia, embarking on a crime spree through vibrant beaches, city highways, and clubs alongside her partner, reminiscent of the iconic Bonnie and Clyde.

Rockstar Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, has had its fair share of challenges with leaks in the past. In 2022, unauthorized access resulted in the dissemination of unreleased footage for the upcoming GTA iteration, causing quite a stir. The leaked screenshots and gameplay videos, confirmed as genuine by the company, were attributed to a "network intrusion."

GTA VI's trailer reveals Lucia as the series' first female playable character, marking a significant milestone in the game's narrative. The 90-second teaser, set to Tom Petty's "Love Is A Long Road," has already garnered over 68 million views since its official release.

The action unfolds in Vice City, GTA's analog to Miami, and showcases Lucia's entanglement in a love and/or crime relationship with an unnamed male partner. Although earlier leaks hinted at two playable main characters, the official trailer solidifies Lucia's role as the leading lady.

The release is scheduled for 2025 on Sony's Playstation 5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X & S consoles. However, there is no official word on a potential PC or Nintendo Switch release. Rockstar Games, led by founder Sam Houser, expressed excitement about pushing the limits of immersive, story-driven open-world experiences with GTA VI. In a press release, Rockstar Games provided a glimpse into the game's setting, stating that Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet. The last installment, GTA V, released in 2013, has sold over 190 million units to date, solidifying the series' position as a gaming juggernaut with over 400 million copies sold worldwide since its inception in 1997.