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History of Grand Theft Auto Timeline
(1997 - Present)Grand Theft Auto is a landmark open-world action-adventure video game series created by DMA Design (later Rockstar North) and published by Rockstar Games. Since its debut in 1997, the franchise has grown into one of the best-selling entertainment properties in history, known for its satirical take on American culture, criminal gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and cultural influence—while also sparking significant controversy over violence and content. More Less
Development
Original Grand Theft Auto released
1997
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The original Grand Theft Auto launched in 1997, establishing the open-world crime franchise. It was written by Dan Houser and became the first entry in what would grow into one of gaming's most successful series.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City released
2002
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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was released in 2002, set in a neon-soaked version of Miami and starring Tommy Vercetti. The game later inspired the Vintage Vice City Pack preorder bonus for Grand Theft Auto VI.
Grand Theft Auto: Advance released
2004
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Grand Theft Auto: Advance was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004. It was the last Grand Theft Auto game overall to be written by Dan Houser before Grand Theft Auto VI.
Grand Theft Auto V released
2013
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Grand Theft Auto V, the seventh main entry in the series, was released in 2013 to massive commercial success. It became the benchmark against which the next mainline installment would be measured.
Preliminary work on GTA VI begins after GTA V
2014
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Rockstar Games began preliminary work on Grand Theft Auto VI in 2014 following the release of Grand Theft Auto V, laying early groundwork for the sequel before full production ramped up years later.
Early development on GTA VI starts
Oct 1, 2018 - Dec 31, 2018
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Early development on Grand Theft Auto VI began in late 2018, following the completion of Red Dead Redemption 2, marking the transition from preliminary planning to active creation of the game.
Red Dead Redemption 2 released
Oct 26, 2018
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Red Dead Redemption 2 was released in October 2018, concluding Rockstar's previous major project and freeing resources so that early development on Grand Theft Auto VI could begin in late 2018.
Principal production begins under codename Project Americas
2020
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Principal production on Grand Theft Auto VI began in 2020 under the internal codename Project Americas, reflecting the game's reported setting across locations in the Americas.
Dan Houser leaves Rockstar Games
2020
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Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games and longtime writer for the series, left Rockstar in 2020. Grand Theft Auto VI is the first main game since the 1997 original not written by him.
Rockstar confirms development is well underway
Feb 4, 2022
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Following years of speculation and anticipation, Rockstar confirmed on 4 February 2022 that Grand Theft Auto VI was in development and 'well underway', with resources reallocated from Red Dead Online and remasters to prioritise it.
Rockstar ends remote work ahead of release
Apr 2024
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As the release date neared, Rockstar requested employees cease remote work and return to offices from April 2024, citing productivity and security reasons during the final stretch of development.
Leaks and Legal Issues
teapotuberhacker leaks 90 videos of gameplay footage
Sep 18, 2022
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A user known as 'teapotuberhacker' published 90 videos to GTAForums on 18 September 2022, showing 50 minutes of work-in-progress Grand Theft Auto VI footage in one of gaming's largest leaks.
PS5 dev kit footage leaks via Reddit
Jan 2025
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In January 2025, a Reddit user posted a photograph and two videos of a PlayStation 5 development kit running the game, taken at Rockstar San Diego in mid-2021. Polygon's Ian Walker called it the 'worst leak of all time' since it revealed no new information.
Scammers exploit anticipation with malware and fraud
2025
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Scammers exploited the game's extraordinary anticipation by promoting malware and fraud through false promises of early access to Grand Theft Auto VI, targeting eager fans online.
Rockstar fires 34 employees over leaked information
Oct 2025
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Rockstar fired 34 employees in October 2025, citing public discussion and distribution of confidential information about Grand Theft Auto VI as the reason for the dismissals.
Hacker moved to prison awaiting retrial
Jul 2026
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The hacker responsible for the 2022 leak was moved to a prison in July 2026 to await a retrial scheduled for November, keeping the legal saga surrounding the breach in the headlines.
CyberLeek leaks map and footage
Aug 2026
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The in-game map and several minutes of footage were leaked in August 2026 by CyberLeek, who threatened to release more material unless plans changed regarding special edition–only content and the lack of physical discs.
Reveals and Trailers
Rockstar announces first trailer for 25th anniversary
2023
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Rockstar announced that the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI would release in December 2023 to celebrate the company's 25th anniversary, sending fans into a frenzy of anticipation.
Trailer leaks a day early; official reveal on Dec 5
Dec 4, 2023
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A low-quality version of the first trailer leaked one day early on 4 December 2023. Rockstar published the official version in response, formally revealing the title, protagonists, setting, and a 2025 release window for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
First trailer breaks YouTube records
Dec 5, 2023 - Dec 6, 2023
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The first trailer broke several YouTube records within its first day and surpassed the lifetime viewership of Grand Theft Auto V's 2011 reveal trailer within two days, reaching 101 million views.
Game wins most anticipated awards at Game Awards
2024
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Grand Theft Auto VI won awards at The Game Awards in 2024 recognizing it as one of the most highly anticipated upcoming games, reflecting the enormous excitement surrounding its eventual release.
Game wins Golden Joystick most wanted award
2025
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Grand Theft Auto VI continued to collect accolades at the Golden Joystick Awards in 2025, further cementing its status as the most anticipated video game release of its era.
Second trailer released with website update
May 6, 2025
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Rockstar released a second trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI on 6 May 2025, alongside a website update featuring 70 screenshots and detailed character and location descriptions.
Second trailer earns record 475 million views
May 7, 2025
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The second trailer received a record 475 million views across all platforms within 24 hours, demonstrating unprecedented global interest in the game.
Cover art and special editions unveiled
Jun 18, 2026
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On 18 June 2026, Rockstar unveiled the cover art and special editions: the Ultimate Edition grants additional items and missions, while preorders receive the Vintage Vice City Pack with items inspired by Vice City (2002) and Tommy Vercetti.
Delays and Release
Take-Two insists game remains on schedule for late 2025
2024
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Despite reports of internal doubts, Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive said the game remained on schedule for late 2025, though employees were doubtful due to the amount of remaining work.
Game delayed from late 2025 to May 26, 2026
May 2025
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In May 2025, Rockstar delayed Grand Theft Auto VI from its late 2025 window to 26 May 2026, giving the studio additional time to finish development.
Game delayed again to Nov 19, 2026
Aug 2026
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The week after the CyberLeek leak, Rockstar delayed Grand Theft Auto VI a second time to 19 November 2026, citing the need for additional polish ahead of launch.
Scheduled release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S
Nov 19, 2026
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After two delays and multiple leaks, Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to be released on 19 November 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. It will be the eighth main game and sixteenth entry overall in the series.
Key Facts
- The original Grand Theft Auto was released in 1997 by DMA Design (later Rockstar North) and introduced top-down open-world gameplay focused on crime and driving.
- GTA III (2001) revolutionized the series with a fully 3D open world, setting the template for modern sandbox games and making Rockstar Games a major industry force.
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) remains one of the best-selling PlayStation 2 games of all time and expanded the series with RPG-like customization and a massive map.
- Grand Theft Auto V (2013) became one of the best-selling video games ever, surpassing 200 million copies, largely driven by its persistent online mode, GTA Online.
- The series has faced recurring controversy over violence, sexual content, and its influence on youth, including high-profile lawsuits and political debates, while also being praised for satire and storytelling.
Related Timelines
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Source
This History of Grand Theft Auto timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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