Skip to main content

Grand Theft Auto 6 is coming, but where will it take place?

Plenty of people are still playing Grand Theft Auto 5, but let’s face it: The initial release of the game came out in September 2013. Rockstar is known for taking its time between releases, but at this point, it was an easy guess that the next game in the series was either in the works or would be soon.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is indeed in development, but the game is still in the earliest stages. Exactly how much work has been done isn’t clear, but according to sources speaking to TechRadar, a location hasn’t been chosen yet, so artists can’t exactly start working on assets yet.

Recommended Videos

Rockstar hasn’t given any indication of where the game might possibly be set, but chances are fairly good that it won’t be outside of the U.S. That wasn’t always the case however.

The publisher once had plans to make GTA: Tokyo, and even went so far as to carry out a trip to the city to explore the idea further, TechRadar’s sources say. This was around 2003, in the same era as Grand Auto Auto 3 and Vice City, and Tokyo wasn’t the only city Rockstar considered. Trademarks from the time also exist for GTA: Bogota and Grand Theft Auto: Sin City.

The Tokyo idea fell flat when the road system proved to be an issue, and as time went on, Rockstar began to realize that moving its flagship series out of its heavily fictionalized version of the U.S. would require changes to series mainstays from cars to fast food franchises, and cooled on the idea. With this in mind, it at least becomes easier to guess where the next game in the series won’t be set.

Whether or not Grand Theft Auto 6 will use a new engine is a trickier question. Rockstar posted a job listing in 2012 that some point to as proof of a new engine, but this could also be the engine that was used for Grand Theft Auto 5 on current-gen consoles and the PC.

Kris Wouk
Former Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
GTA 6 delay is good for the game, but that doesn’t mean I’m not disappointed
GTA 6

Grand Theft Auto 6 has been officially delayed until May 26, 2026, and while that's a bummer for fans who hoped to play this year, it's probably good news for the game itself.

In its explanation for the delay, Rockstar Games said, "With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve."

Read more
L.A. Noire developer Video Games Deluxe becomes Rockstar Australia
A screenshot from LA Noire.

Rockstar Games has acquired Video Games Deluxe, soon to be renamed Rockstar Australia. The studio is based in Sydney and is responsible for the 2017 re-release of L.A. Noire as well as the more recent Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy.

The news might come as a surprise; after all, the two studios have worked alongside one another for years. However, it was just a partnership until this point. "It's been an honor to work closely with Rockstar Games this past decade," said Brendan McNamara, founder of Video Games Deluxe. "We are thrilled to part part of Rockstar Games and to continue our efforts to make the best games possible."

Read more
Grand Theft Auto 6 is just the tip of the iceberg for video games in 2025
Lucia and her partner rob a store in GTA 6.

A lot of long-awaited video games will finally release in 2025. But don’t let them be the only ones to grab your attention this year.

If all goes according to plan, 2025 will contain the launches of Nintendo’s Switch successor, Metroid Prime 4:Beyond, and Grand Theft Auto VI. Other high-profile games like Elden Ring: Neightreign, Doom: The Dark Ages, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and Ghost of Yotei flesh out Digital Trends’ most anticipated games of 2025 list. It’s likely that these AAA adventures, and whatever Nintendo decides to deliver with its new console, will dominate gaming conversations throughout the year.

Read more