Paris, France - The Grand Theft Auto series has triggered thousands of controversies and brought in billions of dollars for its studio – after a 13 year gap, GTA VI has big shoes to fill when it drops on November 19, 2026.

The release of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) is widely expected to be the biggest of the decade, coming more than 13 years after its predecessor dropped to huge critical acclaim and record profitability.

Rockstar Games are seeking a record hit here, having invested billions of dollars into what will end up being one of the most valuable entertainment products ever released. With such weight on its shoulders, GTA VI has huge shoes to fill.

The first two games in the series, which debuted in 1997, offered a top-down view of the action as players explored the criminal underworld. In 2001, however, GTA III set the standard for what games could be like, offering a three-dimensional open world, advanced graphics, and gameplay that won widespread critical acclaim.

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Each new GTA title since then has been hailed by both industry analysts and gamers for pushing the boundaries of what is possible. They have all been bestsellers too, bringing in billions of dollars for Take-Two Interactive.

The last game in the franchise, GTA V, was released in 2013 and reached $1 billion in retail sales "faster than any entertainment release in history," Take-Two claims. It has sold around 230 million copies, making it the second best-selling game of all time.

GTA has faced strong criticism for misogynistic portrayals of women, caricatures of ethnic minorities, and depictions of torture. It's been praised for biting cultural satire, but slammed for allowing players to engage in criminal behavior.

The new game is set in Leonida, a fictionalized version of Florida that includes a return to the Miami-inspired Vice City. It releases on November 19.