As we get closer to the big day, that is, the release of GTA VI, there are inevitable leaks and rumors that swirl around. Social media and forums like Reddit are especially awash with countless fans and click-hungry accounts looking for their pound of flesh from the massive hype around one of the most anticipated games ever.
As recently as May, we got news that Rockstar Games is gearing up for a May 2026 release for the sixth installment in the legendary franchise. However, as is the norm today, this news was accompanied by plenty of online users trying to confirm this date and giving their own takes on the release date/price tag.
Streams Charts has compiled all the recent leaks and rumors that have been circulating regarding GTA VI.
Rockstar, a job listing, and the largest game launch in history
The hype around GTA VI has no doubt made it one of the most anticipated titles in video gaming history. Just ask any fan of the open-world franchise, and they'll tell you this wait has lasted over a dozen years.
Now, it seems that Rockstar Games itself has realized the sheer magnitude of the game's upcoming launch, as if that wasn't already clear with the game's two trailer releases amid another bout of leaks.
The American company had put up a job listing recently for a "lead software engineer" role. However, eagle-eyed fans noticed that the studio seemingly admitted how big the release is, with the job description stating this:
"With the continued growth of Grand Theft Auto Online and the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto VI. The successful candidate will lead both the evolution and operation of the data platform supporting what will be the largest game launch in history, ensuring it scales to deliver an exceptional experience for millions of players worldwide."
This job profile has since been altered, but as with anything that is posted online today, the initial description posted by Rockstar has been safely archived by a few trusty sites.
GTA VI costs more than the Burj Khalifa!
Readers have to note that there's been a lot of speculation surrounding the upcoming title's price tag. After all, neither Take-Two Interactive nor Rockstar Games has confirmed how much GTA VI will cost.
Nevertheless, market analysts have concluded that fans and hardcore gamers will have to part with upwards of $100 to get their hands on GTA VI. They have based this hefty assumption on the fact that the development cost estimates have been colossal, and the publisher will need to adhere to a certain price tag to recoup these costs.
This huge price tag was also backed up by a former Rockstar developer, who predicted that GTA VI would become the most expensive game ever. The publisher's latest release, Mafia: The Old Country, had a $50 price tag, and when questioned whether GTA VI would have a similar cost, a Take-Two boss did not confirm it, instead saying that "we've had variable pricing at the company forever."
Other outlets have also predicted that, as with many recent new games, GTA VI will receive a $70 to $80 price tag, but this is as close to speculation as possible. For now, there's no fixed price tag, but fans undoubtedly feel that a $100 range is much too high, and as one Reddit user put it, "the thing costs more than the Burj Khalifa."
Dataminer finds websites that will be found in GTA VI
Earlier in September, a well-known dataminer, Tez, claimed to have found websites registered by Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive. What lent these contentions on GTA forums attention was the fact that a few of these domain names are ridiculous enough to be part of a Rockstar game.
"I came across some domains all registered on May 27 under Take-Two's nameservers that seem to be 6-related. These domains could be in-game sites that R* may redirect to 6's page later on, like what we've seen with 4 and 5. Or some could be completely unrelated instead."
- Tez wrote on GTA Forums
The websites he claimed to have mined are what-up.app, rydeme.app, buckme.app, leonidagov.org, brianandbradley.com, hookers-galore.com, wipeoutcornskin.com, and myboyhasacreepycorndog.com. None of these sites work in real life, but fans have already begun finding their IRL counterparts.
Fans theorized that What-Up is parodying messaging service WhatsApp, while rydeme is most probably Uber and Lyft. Buckme is believed to be Patreon, PayPal, or OnlyFans, while other GTA Forums users speculated that brianandbradley.com is a spin on the Florida law firm Morgan and Morgan.
Largest game by file size in the series
Given the reported scale of the project, most fans and critics have predicted that the upcoming game will have a massive map, meaning lots for open-world enthusiasts to explore. As a result, GTA VI is touted to have a huge file size, perhaps even dwarfing the 100 GB of required space for the fifth installment, which was considered unbelievable at the time of its release in 2013.
Many dataminers and hardcore fans have predicted that the sixth mainline iteration will demand as much as 200 or 250 GB at least. This number could rise even further post-release with additional DLCs or updates that remain a massive feature of GTA V.
Huge GTA 6 map
A leak at the end of August suggested the sheer size of the GTA VI map, which, lest we forget, will take fans back to the legendary Vice City. A so-called "artistic version" of GTA VI's map was shared online, and it looked humongous.
The screenshot featured Brian Heder, one of the upcoming game's characters, standing over a desk with GTA VI's seemingly map lying open. Certain areas were circled and marked with an X, giving the more imaginative fans plenty of fuel to let their minds run wild.
One of these online users even edited the map such that it could be viewed face-on, making it look even bigger and seemingly confirming fans' hopes of a massive open-world for them to sink their teeth into. One fan even suggested that the map might be of an entirely different place, as Brian Heder has access to planes.
GTA VI gameplay leaks
Another batch of leaks that came out in June seemingly pointed to a few important details about the title. They claimed that GTA VI could contain over 700 buildings that players can enter, working malls, and an updated system for switching characters.
Other crucial features that were seemingly made public ahead of time included the possible return of the 6-star wanted level, a beloved part of many older GTA games. The "relationship bar," first seen in 2022 and mooted to work like the honor system in Red Dead Redemption 2, was also said to still be on track to be added to the game.
GTA VI's sparing no expense, manpower for water physics
Lastly, a few leaks from the VGT Gaming News handle on X claimed that Rockstar Games assembled a team of 20 engineers to work exclusively on creating the water and making it as realistic as possible. They even mooted a budget anywhere between $200 and $300 million for this pursuit.
The account added that as a result of this massive team undertaking, GTA VI will include surfing, hurricanes and floods. It will also be the first open-world with a dynamic high and low tide. Fans on forums like Reddit had mixed reactions to these leaks, although many felt this was possible, considering just how many resources Rockstar Games had put into the title's development over the last few years.
Readers must once again note that all these leaks are exactly that, and that none of them have been corroborated or confirmed by Rockstar. It remains to be seen how true any of these rumors turn out to be, but the company is sure to update fans on any developments via its newswire.