GTA 6 rumor claims it's set in modern-day Vice City but might not launch until 2025

GTA Online — (Image credit: Rockstar Games)

GTA 6 could be set in a modern-day version of Vice City, but might not release until 2025, according to known leaker Tom Henderson.

In a new video, Henderson - who is best known as a source for Call of Duty and Battlefield 2042 leaks - claims that GTA 6 will be set in a modern-day recreation of Vice City, going against reports of an 80s-themed 'Project Americas'. Rockstar is reportedly keen to ensure as much freedom as possible for its developers when creating ongoing GTA Online content, and Henderson states that a trip back in time would limit those possibilities.

Henderson also discusses the potential for the game's map to grow and change over time, likening the system to the one used in Fortnite. It's not clear exactly how the changes would be implemented, but Epic Games uses large-scale end-of-season events to edit its battle royale's map. There's also a brief mention of GTA 6's character roster, which will feature multiple playable characters, including a tech-savvy woman, although no further details are revealed in the video.

Unfortunately, Henderson thinks that we could be waiting several years before we get to see GTA 6. Having previously suggested that 2023 was a possible release year for the game, he now predicts that it could launch as late as 2025. Several factors inform this prediction; Henderson says that Rockstar is focusing on employee wellbeing in the wake of reports of serious crunch in the run-up to Red Dead Redemption 2; he also claims that GTA 6 will only launch on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and that Rockstar wants to wait for more current-gen consoles to sell in order to maximize its own unit sales. The studio is also said to be keen to avoid any delays, so is holding off revealing any information about the title too early, and is also able to rely on GTA 5 as an ongoing revenue stream.

Henderson suggests that, as with any leak, viewers should take this information with a healthy dose of skepticism until we learn more from Rockstar itself. That said, it's worth noting that the timeline he outlines in this video roughly lines up with a report from last which claims that GTA 6 was in early development last year. That report also states that the game could launch with a smaller map that grows over time. It's far from concrete proof, but could reveal a few early details about the much-anticipated title.