Summary
- The rumored cryptic message on a t-shirt turned out to be about the Grand Theft Auto Online Mercenaries DLC, not GTA 6.
- Take-Two Interactive's CEO hinted at a potential release date for GTA 6 in fiscal 2025, indicating a possible end of 2024 or 2025 release.
- Clues speculation about the setting of GTA 6 in Miami. However, official announcements are the only reliable source of information.
Rockstar's follow-up to its flagship franchise, Grand Theft Auto 6, has arguably seen more hype and anticipation than any other gaming title ever. With a massive audience and following still enjoying GTA 5 and GTA Online, it's no wonder those looking forward to the game are trying to pick up on any hints or leaks for the title. With the developers, Rockstar Games, remaining relatively tight-lipped about details and a somewhat underwhelming 10th-anniversary celebration for GTA 5 that lacked a GTA 6 announcement, it only helps fuel speculation surrounding the title.
However, while some of the rumors might just be hype driven by immense interest and little information, it's pretty typical for Rockstar to tease games in current titles or marketing. After all, GTA 3 famously left players with a "See you in Miami," billboard in the game, hinting at the setting for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. While it's impossible to tell whether all of the "hints" given by Rockstar are intentional or just fans looking way too deeply into it is still up for debate, it may still give a glimpse into what's on the horizon for the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
The Cryptic T-Shirt Was About The Mercenaries DLC, Not GTA 6
The ??? Tee that contained a cipher surrounding an image of an alien was once thought to be a cryptic code for people to unravel about big news for GTA 6, but it turned out to be a pretty innocuous message: "one day will reveal all." On top of being a pretty generic message, it turns out that this hint wasn't even for GTA 6 but the Grand Theft Auto Online Mercenaries DLC, which includes UFO and alien-related missions. Though, at the time, some people mistakenly thought that this was some teaser for the title, it turned out not to be, and even if it did — it doesn't reveal anything new about GTA 6.
Take-Two Hinted At Potential GTA 6 Release Date
Perhaps the most tangible hint people have received about a potential release date for GTA 6 came via Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive. In an earnings call discussing the company's first quarter of 2024, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick said, "We remain confident that we are positioning our business for a significant inflection point in fiscal 2025 which we believe will include new record levels of operating performance."
While the statement could be pointing to other big releases around the same, it's a decent hint pointing to GTA 6 being released toward the end of 2024 or in 2025. While Zelnick didn't mention any specifics, he would go on to state, "we look forward to delivering on this exciting next chapter," with the potential implication that the "next chapter" will be ushered in by the release of the next sequel in arguably the company's biggest IP.
The Helicopter Ornament Is A Stretch
The Rockstar Games X (formerly Twitter) is known for regularly posting, and a December 2022 post wishing people happy holidays was broken down and examined like other Rockstar marketing. Along with images of brass knuckles and grenades, fans spotted something a little strange — a helicopter. Upon comparing this ornament with other police department helicopters, they came across a startling discovery. The helicopter appeared to match the Miami-Dade police helicopter, at least according to Skynex (via GameRant).
The actual post itself, however — is a bit misleading as just a simple search of "police helicopter" in Google returns results that could all fit the graphic for the ornament. The veracity of this "evidence" is dubious at best. However, they may be onto something in of GTA 6's location, as the Miami area has been highly speculated, according to gameplay footage from a 2022 Rockstar leak.
Love Fist Livery May Hint At GTA 6 Setting
One skin from GTA Online might actually hint towards the setting for the next GTA 6. The Love Fist Livery is an RPG skin that was recently added to GTA Online. Based on the rock band featured in GTA Vice City, Love Fist, some have claimed this hints toward the release of GTA 6. That being said, Love Fist and its band have been referenced several times in the past, with featured cosmetics, branded vehicles, and even a quick cameo in GTA 5.
However, information pertaining to the potential location of Miami and its ties to Vice City are perhaps the most reliable rumors relating to the game. Even if this is a hint from Rockstar, it really isn't telling attentive GTA followers anything they didn't already know.
Vice City The Musical Is More Of An Easter Egg, But Does It Mean More?
One interesting hint came via 32ozicedcoffeewcream on Reddit, who found a potential reference to the similarity in setting between GTA: Vice City and GTA 6 in a poster found in GTA Online at the Weazel Dorset theater that at one point contained a Vice The Musical poster, with the dates of August 14-October 20 printed on it. This potential clue was found all the way back in 2019 but may be pointing to a potential release date or announcement date for the title, or it could just be completely random placeholder dates that the developers decided to insert.
While it's a stretch, a report by Bloomberg revealed the loose plot of the game, involving a woman protagonist and a Bonnie and Clyde-type storyline in the Vice City setting of a semi-fictionalized Miami-Dade area. The Vice The Musical poster shows a man and a woman dancing, lending some credibility that this may indeed be a hint from Rockstar to fans on the release of GTA 6. However, whether the dates mean anything is yet to be seen.
It's Best To Wait For Official Announcements
While one could investigate clues in Rockstar titles for days and form connections between even the slightest things like room numbers, it's probably best to wait until Rockstar or Take-Two make an official announcement on the game. Most recently, it was rumored that an announcement for the highly-anticipated title may come as early as October 2023, which will undoubtedly also be dissected by the voracious GTA community. However, it's important to that the creators of the game are the only ones who can confirm or deny rumors or speculation and that looking deeply into the symbolic meanings of marketing materials may be an effort in futility.
After all, plans change, and anything could be altered or adjusted before the official release of Grand Theft Auto 6. While it is fun to speculate and look for clues, none of the "hints" given about the title should be taken too seriously.
Source: Rockstar Games/X, Skynex/X, GameRant, 32ozicedcoffeewcream/Reddit, Bloomberg
