Surprise! Just weeks ahead of the highly-anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, developer Rockstar Games dropped another trailer, and like the ones that came before it, millions of people have viewed it across YouTube and X. The new footage puts the spotlight predominantly onto Jason, pulling back the curtain on a troubled military background and special operations past that steered him into Vice City's criminal underworld.
This is somewhat of a departure from previous teasers that focused more heavily on Lucia and wild fictional setting of present-day Vice City. Scenes throughout the newly released launch trailer reel showcase Jason's adept handling of weapons and tactical instincts, both of which were undoubtedly learned during his stint in the U.S. army.
Lucia is also part of the trailer, just to a lesser degree. We see her make a phone call to Jason from prison, and on the outside of a cell, her street smarts contrast with Jason's military training as the two find themselves in plenty of mayhem. There's also a steamy shower scene that reveals an ankle monitor.
Other bits in the short 1min30sec trailer highlight a bank robbery, various aircraft, a lovers' leap of faith off a building into a pool, and an original song, "Flower In a Hurricane," composed by Justice featuring Tame Impala, SZA, and King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard.
Beyond another sneak peek into the world of Vice City as it exists today, the trailer makes it clear that the visuals were captured entirely in-engine on a PlayStation 5 console. There's no mention of it being a PlayStation 5 Pro, so we assume the trailer is representative of the graphics on a base PS5.
It's hard to get a feel for how a game will look and perform outside of trailer showcases, but from what we're seeing so far, Rockstar Games managed to pack in some impressive visuals with realistic environmental physics. Details like beads of sweat and skin textures do the hype justice. The launch trailer also arrives on the heels of Rockstar suggesting that the next installment—Grand Theft Auto VII—will not take another eight years to materialize. And if recent rumors prove true, we could see a PC port of GTA VI within the first three months of 2027.
Paul is a seasoned geek who cut this teeth on the Commodore 64. When he's not geeking out to tech, he's out riding his Harley and collecting stray cats.