The Los Angeles Post
California & Local U.S. World Business Lifestyle
Today: January 15, 2025
Today: January 15, 2025

Grand Theft Auto VI leak followed by an official trailer with a twist: A release date of 2025

GTA Trailer Leak
December 05, 2023
AP - AP

NEW YORK (AP) — The highly anticipated trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI arrived a little early after a copy was leaked online.

Rockstar Games released its first look for the sixth game of the hugely popular video game series Monday evening — roughly 15 hours before the planned Tuesday morning unveiling — while citing the leak.

“Our trailer has leaked so please watch the real thing on YouTube,” Rockstar Games wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, just after 6 p.m. ET Monday.

Rockstar Games and its New York parent company, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., did not provide further details on the leak. The company did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ requests for comment early Tuesday.

Still, avid Grand Theft Auto fans were able to learn a few things from the 90-second teaser — including that the next installment would be set in the Miami-inspired Vice City and star a female protagonist, a first for the franchise, named Lucia. The end of the video also confirmed that game won't be released until 2025.

That's later than some anticipated — including researchers at Raymond James & Associates. In an early Tuesday brief, Raymond James analysts said that they originally expected Grand Theft Auto VI to arrive in the 2024 holiday season.

Shares of Take-Two Interactive fell about 1% Tuesday.

While a specific 2025 date hasn't been disclosed from Take-Two yet, industry analysts still predict the game will arrive in the first few months of the year — pointing to the company's “commentary around bookings expectations" of just under $8 billion for the 2025 fiscal year.

“While investors are likely to be mildly disappointed in the precise timing, and we expect a slight down move in the stock as a result, this does not change our thesis on the anticipated scale of the release when it does hit shelves, which remains potentially massive," the Raymond James analysts added. "It is simply a shift rather than a reduction in expectations.”

The first Grand Theft Auto hit store shelves back in 1997. Its soaring popularity led to multiple sequels over the years — with much anticipation (and sometimes long waits) between each installment. Grand Theft Auto VI will arrive more than a decade after Grand Theft Auto V's 2013 release.

The sixth installment will be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X'S systems, Rockstar games and Take-Two said Monday.

Stifel researchers noted “exceptionally strong” buzz and pent-up demand following the Grand Theft Auto VI teaser — pointing to the tens of millions of views collected within hours. As of around 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, Rockstar Games' official YouTube trailer had been viewed over 94 million times.

The timing of Grand Theft Auto VI's release is also “likely to impact the frontline release schedule for the industry,” Stifel analysts wrote — adding that this “has the potential to strengthen what appears to be a weaker slate next year," leading to “a flurry of new titles” published into the second half of 2024 as competitors try to avoid launching games close to Grand Theft Auto VI.

Related

Celebrity|Entertainment|Environment|Lifestyle|US

Melissa Rivers recounts grabbing valued possessions before Pacific Palisades fire burned home down

Melissa Rivers recalls how quickly the California wildfires spread, leaving her little time to gather cherished belongings before fleeing

Melissa Rivers recounts grabbing valued possessions before Pacific Palisades fire burned home down
Arts|Entertainment|Environment|US

Octavia Butler imagined LA ravaged by fires. Her Altadena cemetery survived

Since the Los Angeles fires began last week, “Parable of the Sower” and other Octavia Butler works written decades ago have been cited for anticipating a world wracked by climate change, racism and economic disparity

Octavia Butler imagined LA ravaged by fires. Her Altadena cemetery survived
Celebrity|Crime|Entertainment|US

Lawyers for Sean 'Diddy' Combs say sex acts are distorted by 'sexist and puritanical' prosecution

Lawyers for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs are labeling the prosecution against the hip-hop star as “sexist and puritanical."

Lawyers for Sean 'Diddy' Combs say sex acts are distorted by 'sexist and puritanical' prosecution
Celebrity|Entertainment|Health

Danielle Fishel says she has completed radiation treatment after breast cancer diagnosis

Danielle Fishel says she has completed radiation treatment after breast cancer diagnosis

Danielle Fishel says she has completed radiation treatment after breast cancer diagnosis
Share This

Popular

Arts|Australia|Celebrity|Crime|Entertainment

British author Neil Gaiman denies ever engaging in non-consensual sex as more accusers come forward

British author Neil Gaiman denies ever engaging in non-consensual sex as more accusers come forward
Arts|Celebrity|Entertainment|Environment

As Los Angeles burns, Hollywood's Oscar season turns into a pledge drive

As Los Angeles burns, Hollywood's Oscar season turns into a pledge drive
Celebrity|Entertainment|Sports

Tiger Woods makes indoor golf debut and finds humor in blowout loss, noting 'how bad pros can be'

Tiger Woods makes indoor golf debut and finds humor in blowout loss, noting 'how bad pros can be'
Celebrity|Entertainment

David Schwimmer says he once served Rod Stewart with divorce papers

David Schwimmer says he once served Rod Stewart with divorce papers