When does GTA 6 take place? Timeline explained

After the GTA 6 trailer was revealed, players were left wondering exactly when does the game take place. Although we don’t have an exact year, here’s what we know after thoroughly analyzing the game’s first trailer.

It’s been over a decade since GTA 5’s launched, and now its sequel is finally coming to fruition. Formally unveiled on December 4, Rockstar gave the world its first taste of GTA 6 with an explosive reveal trailer.

Through the initial 90-second glimpse, we learned plenty about the fictional state of Leonida, our new protagonist Lucia, and plenty more. And while not explicitly detailed, a few gameplay snippets gave us a good idea of when the game is set.

So well ahead of its 2025 release, here’s what you need to know in regards to the timeline and when exactly GTA 6 takes place.

When is GTA 6 set?

Although no official year has been announced just yet, thanks to what the trailer revealed, we know for certain GTA 6 is set in modern times.

Not only do we see modern vehicles on neon-soaked city strips, high-rise apartment complexes dominating the horizon, and plenty of contemporary weaponry as well, but social media also appears to play a key role in the game.

Various shots showed social media clips akin to TikTok, with bystanders seen taking selfies or recording others on the street. Thereby, we can safely assume GTA 6 takes place in the current generation, though there’s no telling exactly when.

Historically, while the series has been vague with previous releases too, it’s typically assumed each new GTA game has been set close to its time of release. Thus, at least in the modern era we’ve seen GTA 4 in 2008 and GTA 5 in 2013, both authentic to their time of release. It appears GTA 6 will be no different, with no jump back or forward in time expected.

That’s all we know so far about when GTA 6 is set. While you’re still here, be sure to check our GTA 6 guides below:

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