As the release of a new Grand Theft Auto is closing in, we can expect to find out more about the game. While Rockstar is inevitably going to start exposing more about the game, perhaps this is going to happen slowly and gradually, but there’s likely going to be a big announcement that is going to blow the socks off of people who are awaiting the new title. As we wait for the official announcements by the creators of the game, there are other ways to acquire information.
This is where leaks come in. For the uninitiated, leaks are releases of information from an unannounced product by a third party. Usually, they are released to the press or the public by insiders who have access to the product. Leaks come in many forms, but should always be taken with a grain of salt. Sometimes the information is entirely incorrect, sometimes it might be valid but will go through changes before the release. When it comes to games, the most anticipated titles are usually targets of leaks.
Grand Theft Auto VI is, of course, no different in this respect. As one of the most anticipated titles in a long time, it has already been leaked several times. Here we’ll take a closer look at some of the newer leaks that might tell us something about the upcoming game.
Release Date
This is undoubtedly one of the most exciting pieces of information that could be leaked. Everyone looking to play the game wants to know exactly when they can get their hands on a copy. It is still early days for Grand Theft Auto VI, so information about a release date might not be exact. In fact, leaks that give you an exact date years in advance are often not reliable. It is very uncommon that a publisher would have an event dated so far in advance with all the moving pieces.
However, more rough estimates naturally exist within the company. Those estimates have also leaked in an internal document. Rockstar’s current schedule seems to be to release the game in 2024. It is noteworthy, though, that Rockstar doesn’t give a date in these documents. This is also highly subject to change. According to industry insider and leaker Chris Marxx, one should expect it to be pushed back to early-to-mid 2025. His sources say that the game launches simultaneously for both next-gen consoles and the PC.
Random Encounters
There are undoubtedly tons of new features that are going to be added to the game. While much of it remains a secret until the release date, or at least the official announcement, leaks have already revealed some details. The leaker Chris Marxx says that Rockstar is focused on delivering a more realistic experience by adding random encounters like robberies directed at your safehouse, being the target of stalkers that follow you at night, and other people trying to enter your house and car.
This might be one of the more impressive new core mechanics that is going to revamp how the game is played. Perhaps no longer are your assets safe, and you might have to safeguard them from other criminals. There’s no word on how players are allowed to deal with these random encounters. Also, details like whether they happen only when the player is actively playing remain in the dark.
Enter the Buildings
The world of Grand Theft Auto has always offered unparalleled experience of open-world environments. The game offers vast cities with what seems like an unlimited amount of interactions and opportunities. However, there’s still some room for improvement. This is especially true when it comes to content inside the buildings.
According to leaks included in a document created by fans, Grand Theft Auto VI might have at least as many as 157 buildings with interiors. This would be a tremendous increase over the predecessor. In Grand Theft Auto V there are around 110 enterable buildings. This would mean that there’s an increase of nearly 50% in the amount. It’s also worth noting that the vast majority of the interiors in Grand Theft Auto V were for missions specifically, and only a dozen or so were meant for general access.
This might mean that the increase is actually far bigger if these are not meant solely for questing purposes. The leaks also suggest that there are activities, like robbing a store, included in these locations. It remains to be seen how this will change the gameplay in the end.
The Size of the Map
While the world is certainly going to get bigger in terms of interiors of buildings as expressed in the previous leak, that might not be the case in terms of the outside world. According to a leak from an insider, Tom Henderson, the size of the map might not be what some fans are expecting. Henderson has a solid track record when it comes to leaks.
Fans were expecting the map to be many times as big as Grand Theft Auto V‘s map, based on leaked gameplay. However, this might not be the case, although seems likely that it is larger. It is unclear what comments Henderson is referring to. The game comes with different locations, which might create confusion. It is also possible that Rockstar is thinking of adding to the map with a live service model over time. At this point, all we can do is wait and see.
New States
It has been known for a while that Grand Theft Auto VI will make a return to the Sunshine State. The game will include not only Vice City but other locations in Florida. However, it has been revealed that Florida might not be the only state available to players. At least one location has been spotted in the leaked gameplay footage that seems to be in Georgia.
People have noted that a prison in the background looks like the Augusta State Medical Prison in Georgia. This would seemingly confirm the existence of Georgia in the game, in addition to some mountain ranges visible in the footage. Florida is known to be the flattest state in the US with no such elevation. It remains to be seen how Rockstar intends to implement this separation between locations in Georgia and Vice City, which is based on Miami, located near the southern tip of the peninsula.
Announcement Date
When it comes to important information, the announcement date is at the very top. This is when Rockstar is likely going to share a wealth of information about the most important release in years. This is also when we’ll hear for the first time, at least officially, when Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be in stores. So far Rockstar has stayed quiet about their release and announcement schedule. Thankfully, insiders like Chris Marxx are offering leaks that might shed light on it.
According to the leaker, Rockstar has already internally confirmed the date of the announcement. Chris Marxx says that it will happen on October 26, 2023, in less than a month. As with all leaks, one should take it with a grain of salt. However, the leaker’s reputation with accurate information on games like Payday 3 gives this more credibility. If it indeed is correct, we should expect Rockstar to start marketing this event very soon.
Final Words
This is just a snapshot of some of the more popular and credible leaks released recently. There is far more information on the game that is being parsed as we speak and leaked details that have been available for the longest time. We’ll keep on tracking Grand Theft Auto VI and its official and unofficial announcements, so keep coming back for more!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Rockstar.