GTA 6 vs GTA 5: The Confirmed Differences

Players keep asking how Grand Theft Auto VI differs from Grand Theft Auto V. Rockstar has not published a feature-by-feature comparison, so this guide only sets side by side the facts both publishers have confirmed. Where there is no official answer, we say so.

Side by side

A different setting

GTA 5 takes place in Los Santos and Blaine County, as the PlayStation listing for the game describes. GTA 6 moves to Leonida, a fictional state that includes Vice City and regions such as the Leonida Keys and Grassrivers. Our Leonida map guide covers what is named so far.

Two leads instead of three

PlayStation's description of GTA 5 follows three people: a retired bank robber, a repo man and a volatile former associate. GTA 6 follows two, Jason and Lucia, according to Rockstar's own profiles. How that changes how the game plays has not been explained in the official sources we checked. Read more in our character guide.

Platforms and timing

GTA 5 first launched on September 17, 2013, on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, according to Take-Two. Rockstar later announced it for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. GTA 6 will arrive on those two systems from day one, on November 19, 2026, and Rockstar's pages list no PC version at this time. The release guide has the details.

The scale GTA 5 set

Take-Two reported first-day sell-through of more than $800 million for GTA 5, and its 2026 annual report says the game has sold in more than 225 million units worldwide. These are company figures, and they show why expectations for the sequel are so high. They are not a prediction for GTA 6.

What we cannot compare yet

Rockstar has not said, in the sources we checked, how GTA 6 compares on map size, mission count, vehicles or online features. Claims you see online about those are either unconfirmed or based on leaks, and we do not repeat them. After launch we plan to add a gameplay comparison, built on the finished game. Until then, the verified facts list is the safest reference.