The hype train for the next entry in Rockstar Games’ acclaimed Grand Theft Auto franchise is picking up serious steam. Fresh updates to the developer’s official website and Instagram account have feverish fans convinced that the first new screenshots for the highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI could be just around the corner.
The clues pointing toward an imminent reveal began recently when eagle-eyed fans noticed changes to the source code on Rockstar’s website. Among the updates was the addition of placeholders for four screenshot images, cover art, and even a release date field all categorized under the still-mysterious GTA VI.
Update: the new page (https://t.co/LdP9mtohyK) was just taken down, but the code with placeholders remains in the database that was made public yesterday.
Additionally, there are mentions of digital purchases (pre-orders).R* was likely preparing the website and didn’t intend to… pic.twitter.com/T0VxaDnt3o
— GTA 6 Countdown ⏳ (@GTAVI_Countdown) May 8, 2024
While the placeholder mentions were quickly scrubbed from the live website, screenshots captured by fans show the momentary additions aligned with the next Grand Theft Auto installment. As @GTAVI_Countdown on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted, the code with these conspicuous placeholders can still be accessed, further fueling the screenshot hype.
Adding more fuel to the speculative fire, Rockstar has also been refreshing its official Instagram presence in a move reminiscent of its run-up marketing for the original GTA VI trailer reveal last year. Most of the developer’s historic posts have been purged, leaving the feed primed for a wave of new content – perhaps including those tantalizingly teased new screenshots.
Here to confirm that the new GTA 6 screenshots are in fact real pic.twitter.com/1aCNuG0UNr
— MMI (@morsmutual_) May 8, 2024
While Rockstar has kept officially mum, the timing of these website code changes aligns intriguingly with parent company Take-Two Interactive’s upcoming Q4 investor call scheduled for May 16th. Fans are buzzing that the iconic developer could leverage that high-profile corporate event as a launchpad to tease more of its hugely-anticipated new open world opus.
For a title as massively popular and culturally impactful as Grand Theft Auto, even the slimmest crumb of new information sends shockwaves through gaming communities. The possibility of multiple fresh screenshots unveiling never-before-seen imagery from GTA VI’s updated engine and open world environments has proven too much for fans to contain their excitement.
Yooo I'm so ready for some GTA 6 screenshots!
Who's ready for a handful of screenshots to break the internet? pic.twitter.com/MLMCqcPdqh— Olli43 (@OlliHull) May 8, 2024
Imagine Rockstar Games pulls up with some of the best GTA 6 screenshots ever… then they announce that it will be delayed to 2026 😭 pic.twitter.com/29qcII197a
— NikTek (@NikTekOfficial) May 8, 2024
Social media has been awash in frenzied speculation, memes, and reactions eagerly awaiting any glimpse into the criminal underworld Rockstar has been meticulously crafting. While the developer itself has stopped short of confirming any reveals are on the horizon, the fervid buzz shows just how insatiable the appetite is for this gaming juggernaut’s wildly overdue return.
Grand Theft Auto VI is currently in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and eventually PC, targeting a 2025 release window after being announced last year. Whether those coveted first screenshots arrive imminently or not, it’s clearly only a matter of time before Rockstar unleashes the internet-breaking next chapter in this blockbuster franchise.
