A history of GTA 6 trailer “leaks” and rumors

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Originally published on November 8, 2023.

At long last, the news has been confirmed: Rockstar Games will unveil the first trailer for the upcoming Grand Theft Auto game in December, following a flurry of speculation over the past few days. Given that similar whispers have circulated before without any tangible results, it’s understandable if you were hesitant to believe this time around.

Over the course of several years, we’ve encountered this situation repeatedly, which led us to find entertaining ways to discuss each instance when a significant rumor or “leak” suggested that a GTA 6 trailer was about to be released.

The first fake GTA 6 trailer

Currently, I’d like you to take a stab at estimating around when the initial rumor about this surfaced. Approximately how long after Grand Theft Auto 5 was released do you think that would be? Given that new rumors usually don’t start immediately, it’s safe to say it must have been several years later, right?

Well no, it was 2015.

Regrettably, the misleading trailer, which had been showcasing supposed “in-game footage” of a vehicle cruising through an urban landscape, and was said to arrive in 2017, can no longer be found on the web. This is where the deceptive logo featuring “VI” styled like the Vice City logo originated.

Initially, viewers swiftly identified this as a false trailer. This was partly due to the fact that the video used generic demo footage from a game engine called Dream Engine. Additionally, an early version of it contained a typo in “Rockstar,” which was later corrected. However, it sparked a debate within the gaming community about when a genuine trailer might be released.

2019 GTA 6 rumors

Fortunately, there was some time before the next rumor spread, moving on to December 2019, and this one presented daring assertions.

On Pastebin, a trusted platform, someone declared they’d interacted with a GTA 6 tester. The primary assertion was that the game would debut in 2020 for the then-unannounced PlayStation 5 and the rumored next Xbox, which was speculated to be called Xbox Scarlet.

The claims get even more specific though. Among the details listed were:

  • The map is 40 times larger than GTA 5
  • It features San Andreas, Liberty City, Mid-West, and Vice City all on one map
  • The main story lasts 100 hours and 140 missions
  • The game is 226GB big
  • Sony paid for one month of PS5 exclusivity

To be precise, we can’t say for certain until the actual trailer comes out next month, but personally, I wouldn’t bet on it being true.

2020 GTA 6 trailer rumors

As a keen enthusiast, I couldn’t believe my luck when the anticipated false leak didn’t keep me waiting much longer. Right in March 2020, I found myself eagerly bringing up the topic of 4chan, marking its entry into our ongoing discussion.

Currently, both Microsoft and Sony have unveiled the specifications of their upcoming consoles. This seemingly sparked a belief among many that Grand Theft Auto 6 might be imminent. Fueling this speculation was a user on 4chan, who some considered reliable due to previous accurate leaks about Red Dead Redemption 2, who posted a classic green-text message hinting at an “upcoming” trailer for the game.

On March 20, 2020, it was asserted that Rockstar would switch their profile pictures across all social media platforms to the number six. Subsequently, by March 25, they were expected to release the trailer.

On those specific dates, no event occurred. However, around March 27th, an enigmatic Twitch account titled “GTAVI” emerged, featuring a 48-hour timer. Once the timer expired, a convincing fake Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer was uploaded. Yet, it turned out to be a hoax almost instantly, so ultimately, no significant developments stemmed from it.

2021 GTA 6 trailer rumors

We move ahead again to August 2021, when voice actor David Jackson stirred things up by sharing on Facebook that he declined the role of “police chief Captain Mclaine in the latest Grand Theft Auto series.” Naturally, this sparked speculation among fans, who wondered if this meant GTA 6. However, no solid evidence or confirmation, one way or the other, ever surfaced. It could just as easily have been a new character for GTA Online instead of a character from the sequel.

In September 2021, numerous speculations surfaced regarding a trailer, yet most of these rumors lacked substantial proof. However, it’s important to note that a different trailer indeed emerged in October, but this was merely for the trio of remakes that were launched towards the end of the year.

Yet, that trailer sparked an extraordinary chain reaction of reasoning in the minds of fans, suggesting a fresh GTA 6 trailer was imminent. Brace yourself, as I guide you through it step by step.

In the trailer, the character Tommy Vercetti from Vice City is seen riding a motorbike with a license plate reading “ICSLV”. Since Vice City has often been hinted as the possible location of Grand Theft Auto 6, viewers took this to mean that Vice City will be back soon, with “LV” representing the Roman numeral for 55. This led fans to believe that the trailer for GTA 6 would be released 55 days after the one for the remake trilogy.

Let’s all just pause for a moment to take that in.

Now let’s move on.

2022 GTA 6 trailer rumors

After the thrill has subsided, we’re now stepping into the year 2022, only to find ourselves reaching February again. This time around, an anonymous Rockstar insider known as Tez2 hinted at a trailer release in 2022. According to him, this wouldn’t be just a CGI trailer, but one showcasing real, in-game footage under development. However, no such trailer materialized. Regardless, it’s worth noting the speculation.

2022 saw several instances where individuals alleged to be insiders predicted trailers were imminent, yet none of these turned out to be substantial enough for in-depth discussion. In May, two sources declared a trailer would soon arrive, but no such event materialized. In June, a leak account even shared a screenshot they claimed was the beginning of the trailer, but alas, it proved to be untrue once more.

As a die-hard fan, I had been eagerly anticipating the release of the long-awaited GTA trailer, especially since October 21, 2022, marked the 25th anniversary of GTA 1’s debut. Unfortunately, the hype was fueled by various YouTubers and influencers who propagated this theory without any solid evidence to back it up. To my dismay, when October 21 arrived, there was no trailer to celebrate the special day. It seems that, once again, rumors proved to be just that – rumors.

2023 GTA 6 trailer rumors

Approaching the year 2023, an increasing number of whispers seem to be hinting at something we’ve come to know as fact. It’s unclear whether these individuals were merely lucky or privy to insider information, but there’s been a significant amount of discussion suggesting that the long-awaited GTA 6 trailer might debut in November or December of 2023. Many also predict a potential release in 2024.

As a gaming enthusiast, let me take you on a trip down memory lane before we reach today. There’s one more intriguing episode I remember vividly – the mass excitement over seemingly nothing. October 26, 2023, was the date that had everyone buzzing, and the source of this anticipation? Our old buddy from 4chan. This time around, a fellow claiming to be connected to Rockstar Games through his wife dropped this significant date, along with some details about the game itself. He even hinted at the potential names of our future protagonists – Jason and Lucia.

The big day came and you’ll never guess what happened.

Nothing. Nothing happened.

It’s almost like having a little preview of everyone’s anticipation and disappointment before Rockstar made their official announcement. We can expect another month of speculation leading up to the release of the trailer in December.

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2025-04-28 15:17