GTA 6 release date reportedly set for 2025 — with an ‘evolving’ map

GTA V
(Image credit: Rockstar)

Update: Rockstar suffers major GTA 6 leak — here's what we know.

Don’t expect to play GTA 6 any time soon, as the hotly anticipated game may not be released until 2025.  

That's according to reliable industry insider Tom Henderson, who also claims the next entry in the wildly popular Grand Theft Auto series will have a modern-day Vice City setting and multiple playable protagonists, and that the game’s world will change over time. Henderson, who makes the GTA 6 claims in a YouTube video, has a good track record, having revealed a range of information about Battlefield 2042 earlier this year.

A 2025 release date would certainly sting — the length of time between the original launch of GTA V and GTA 6 would be 12 years. However, all indications are that the game is still a ways off, so this information does, unfortunately, line up with previous rumors and logical speculation. 

That said, Henderson does caveat his release date information as a “prediction” in the video, so it seems that even insiders don’t really know when we’ll actually be playing GTA 6. 

Henderson also claims that GTA 6 will be set in a modern-day Vice City (essentially GTA’s take on Miami). There had been speculation that the game would be set in the 1980s, however Henderson notes that developer Rockstar has opted for a modern setting to ensure it has more freedom to create content for GTA Online. 

Perhaps the biggest reveal in this video is that the game will reportedly have an “evolving” map. Henderson claims the map will change over time, with DLC and online events adding new locations or altering existing ones. Rockstar dabbled with this in Red Dead Redemption 2, but it would be great to see them take it up a level in GTA 6. 

Other tidbits include claims that the game will have multiple playable protagonists just like GTA V (and that one of them will be female, a first for the series), and that the game will be released exclusively on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. This isn’t too surprising, as the PS4 and Xbox One would be over a decade old by 2025, so will be receiving little if any support. 

All the information contained within Tom Henderson’s video certainly sounds plausible, and there’s plenty of details to get excited about. However, it’s important to take everything said with a large pinch of salt. Henderson has a solid track record when it comes to shooters like Battlefield and Call of Duty but he’s untested when it comes to GTA 6 leaks, so his information could be incorrect or outdated. 

Assuming that GTA 6 is indeed a next-gen console exclusive, you’ll want to pick up a PS5 or Xbox Series X to play it (unless you have a beefy PC rig). Actually buying one of these consoles is easier said than done right now, so make sure to check out our PS5 restock and Xbox Series X restock hubs for the latest stock information. Perhaps by 2025 these machines will be a bit easier to buy. 

Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.