Pre-launch
GTA 5 vs GTA 6:what is officially confirmed
Confirmed differences between GTA 5 and GTA 6: two leads instead of three, Leonida instead of San Andreas, a 13-year gap, and a single-player launch.
By Sunset Edition desk2 min read
The officially confirmed differences are a setting (the state of Leonida, not San Andreas), two playable leads (Jason and Lucia, not three), a launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S only, and a single-player launch with no online mode announced. Confirmed GTA 5 came out 13 years before GTA 6's November 19, 2026 date. Confirmed
The confirmed comparison
| GTA 5 | GTA 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Release | September 17, 2013 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 | November 19, 2026 |
| Platforms at launch | PS3 and Xbox 360 | PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X |
| Setting | The fictional state of San Andreas, centred on Los Santos | The fictional state of Leonida, centred on Vice City |
| Playable characters | Three: Michael, Franklin and Trevor | Two: Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos |
| Modes at launch | Story mode, with GTA Online from October 1, 2013 | A single-player experience; no online mode announced |
GTA 5's facts come from Rockstar's GTA V page and its public record. Confirmed The GTA 6 column comes from Rockstar and Take-Two. Confirmed GTA 5's 2013 launch date and the three protagonists are from its Wikipedia entry. Confirmed
Differences in detail
Two leads, not three. Rockstar presents Jason and Lucia as the two playable protagonists. Confirmed See Jason and Lucia. The company's own story text describes them relying on each other. Confirmed
A new setting. Leonida and Vice City replace San Andreas and Los Santos, with six named regions. Confirmed Our setting guide lists them.
A single-player launch. Take-Two's pre-order announcement calls GTA 6 a single-player experience, and PlayStation's page says the same. Confirmed At the September 17, 2026 annual meeting, CEO Strauss Zelnick said no recurrent consumer spending is expected from launch. Confirmed GTA 5's online mode, GTA Online, kept running and Take-Two says it will keep supporting it. Confirmed
Platforms. GTA 6 is on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. No PC version is announced, while GTA 5 reached Windows on April 14, 2015. Confirmed See platforms and PC status.
A long gap. The 13 years between launches is simple arithmetic from the two release dates. Confirmed
What is not confirmed
- Map size relative to GTA 5. Press quote Rockstar staff on this, but there is no official figure. See map size. Unconfirmed
- Story length, mission counts and activity lists as an official comparison.
- Whether an online mode will follow. Rockstar has not announced one.
- Whether GTA 6 gets a first-person mode. Outlets report Rockstar saying not at launch. Unconfirmed
What the comparison means for you
If you are deciding what to play first, GTA 5 stays supported and runs on several platforms, while GTA 6 needs a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S. Check system requirements and the price guide before November 19.
Related
- GTA 6 confirmed vs unconfirmed
- GTA 6 features confirmed
- GTA 6 online status
- GTA 6 setting explained
- Platforms and PC status
Is GTA 6 bigger than GTA 5?
Rockstar has not published a size. Press attribute a "roughly double" comparison to a Rockstar executive. Unconfirmed
How many playable characters does GTA 6 have?
Two, Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. GTA 5 has three. Confirmed
Is GTA 6 online like GTA 5?
Not at launch. Take-Two calls GTA 6 a single-player experience and has announced no online mode. Confirmed
Where is GTA 6 set compared with GTA 5?
GTA 6 is set in Leonida and Vice City. GTA 5 is set in San Andreas around Los Santos. Confirmed
How long between GTA 5 and GTA 6?
GTA 5 launched September 17, 2013 and GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026, about 13 years. Confirmed
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Sources
7 links- Grand Theft Auto VI official siteRockstar Games
- Only in Leonida (people and places)Rockstar Games
- Rockstar Games announces pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VITake-Two Interactive IR, 2026-06-24
- Grand Theft Auto VRockstar Games
- Grand Theft Auto VWikipedia
- Grand Theft Auto VI (PlayStation Store)PlayStation, 2026-10-07
- Take-Two confirms single-player launch (annual meeting report)Inven Global, 2026-09-17
We summarise facts in our own words and link to where they come from. Read the source for the full story.
Last verified Oct 7, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Suggest an edit.
