GTA V has been one of the best-selling games ever for more than a decade, and GTA VI arrives on November 19, 2026. This guide compares them using only what Rockstar and Take-Two have actually confirmed, and is clear about what cannot be compared yet.
GTA V vs GTA VI at a glance
| GTA V | GTA VI | |
|---|---|---|
| Release | September 17, 2013 (PS3, Xbox 360) | November 19, 2026 |
| Platforms | Later released on PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S | PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S at launch. A PC version is not announced |
| Setting | Los Santos and the state of San Andreas | Vice City and the state of Leonida |
| Protagonists | Three: Michael, Franklin and Trevor | Two: Jason and Lucia |
| Story pitch | Three criminals pulled into a series of heists | Two people caught in a criminal conspiracy across Leonida, relying on each other to survive |
| Online | GTA Online launched in October 2013 and is still running | Not detailed by Rockstar yet |
| Sales | Nearly 230 million copies, per Take-Two in May 2026 | Not released yet |
Visual comparison: the same seaplane dock, 13 years apart
One of the easiest ways to see how far Rockstar’s visuals have moved is to compare two similar scenes: a character standing by the water with a seaplane moored nearby. Below, the GTA V version is a screenshot from the 2013 game, and the GTA VI version is a frame from a Rockstar trailer.
In GTA V the water is a flat grey-blue, the light is soft and overcast, and the main detail is in the weathered pier planks, rope and tyre in the foreground. A rocky island sits in the distance.
The GTA VI frame looks very different. The water is a bright turquoise with strong sun glare on the surface, there is a palm tree in the foreground, a long bridge and a skyline in the distance, and a green island of mangroves in the middle of the bay. Two fins in the water on the left appear to be sharks. The plane’s fuselage has lettering that appears to read “Brian’s”, but Rockstar has not said who it belongs to.
What to take from it, and what not to
- Lighting and water: the GTA VI frame shows much stronger sun, reflections and clearer water than the GTA V shot.
- Density: the GTA VI background is busier, with a bridge, skyline, boats, birds and sea life.
- Not a fair test: the two scenes have different times of day and weather, and a trailer frame may not match final gameplay. Treat this as a comparison of the look Rockstar is aiming for, not proof of performance.
The setting: Los Santos vs Leonida
GTA V takes place in Los Santos, Rockstar’s version of Los Angeles, and the countryside of San Andreas around it. GTA VI returns to Vice City inside a new fictional state, Leonida. Rockstar describes the setting as “the darkest side of the sunniest place in America”. Rockstar has not published a full map, so size and region comparisons are not possible yet.
The characters: three leads vs two
GTA V let you switch between Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips, which shaped its heist missions. GTA VI is built around Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Rockstar’s summary is that when an easy score goes wrong, the pair are caught in a criminal conspiracy across the state and have to rely on each other to survive. Read more in our Jason and Lucia guide. Whether you can switch between the two or follow them in a fixed order has not been explained.
Online: a decade-old mode vs a blank page
GTA V launched with GTA Online in October 2013, and the mode has kept running for years alongside the story game. For GTA VI, Rockstar has not detailed an online mode, so any claims about it are rumours.
Sales and legacy
Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick said on May 21, 2026 that GTA V has sold nearly 230 million copies. GTA VI is aiming to follow that, but it has not launched, so no sales figure exists.
What cannot be compared yet
- Map size: not published for GTA VI.
- Gameplay systems: only trailers and key art exist so far.
- Online mode: not detailed.
- PC release: not announced.
Quick takeaways
- Time gap: GTA V launched in 2013, and GTA VI arrives more than thirteen years later.
- Story: three protagonists in GTA V, two main leads in GTA VI.
- Platforms: GTA VI starts on current-generation consoles only, while GTA V is on seven platforms over its life.
- Biggest unknown: Rockstar has not detailed GTA VI online play or its map size.
The verdict
There is no winner to declare before launch. GTA V is a proven game with a huge, long-lived online mode, and GTA VI is a new two-lead story in a new state. What we can say is what has changed on paper: fewer main characters, a different setting and a newer generation of consoles. We will update this page after Rockstar shares more or the game releases. Meanwhile, follow every confirmed fact on our GTA hub.
All images are © Rockstar Games and used for editorial coverage. Grand Theft Auto is a trademark of Take-Two Interactive.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts below.