Long before anyone could have guessed its scale, a top-down crime game from 1997 set in motion a series that would grow into one of the great commercial and cultural phenomena of modern entertainment. Now, as GTA VI prepares to reach PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, the series stands at a moment of both celebration and reckoning, admired for its ambition and satire, and questioned for the violence and cruelty it has depicted. Whether this long-awaited sequel fulfils the enormous expectations gathered around it will become clear only once players are in its streets.
Five things to know about Grand Theft Auto as GTA VI approaches its November launch
It would be the most expensive cultural product ever made.
Mark
Thirteen years between flagship games. Why does anyone still care this much?
Mimi
Because GTA V never really went away. It sold around 230 million copies, and its online version kept people buying in-game items all that time.
Mark
So the money never stopped.
Mimi
Right. Take-Two says the whole franchise has sold 470 million units, and GTA V hit $1 billion in retail sales faster than any entertainment release in history.
Luke
Those are Take-Two's own figures, though. They're the company's numbers, not independently audited ones.
Mark
Fair. What about the controversy side?
Mimi
It's been constant: violence, misogyny, caricatures of ethnic minorities, torture scenes. Some countries have banned or restricted the games, and Target Australia stopped selling GTA V in 2014.
Luke
And executives deny the games encourage crime. The piece reports the accusation and the denial, but it doesn't settle either one.
Mark
And the $1 to $1.5 billion budget?
Mimi
It's what would make it the most expensive cultural product ever.
Luke
Note the word reportedly. Rockstar hasn't confirmed a figure, so treat it as an estimate. Same for the prediction that it will be the decade's biggest game. That's expectation, not result.
O Pulso
- The franchise's next chapter arrives after two delays, carrying expectations that many are calling the biggest of the decade.
- Reported development costs of $1 to $1.5 billion would make it the most expensive cultural product ever made, though the company has not confirmed the figure.
- Long-standing criticism over violence, misogynistic portrayals and torture scenes continues to pull against the series' celebrated satire and commercial success.
- With November 19 fixed on the calendar and a new Leonida setting, the release now stands as a test of whether a series with 470 million units sold can surprise again.
Long before anyone could have guessed its scale, a top-down crime game from 1997 set in motion a series that would grow into one of the great commercial and cultural phenomena of modern entertainment. Now, as GTA VI prepares to reach PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, the series stands at a moment of both celebration and reckoning, admired for its ambition and satire, and questioned for the violence and cruelty it has depicted. Whether this long-awaited sequel fulfils the enormous expectations gathered around it will become clear only once players are in its streets.
In 1997, the first Grand Theft Auto put players in the shoes of a criminal, racing through cities seen from above. Nobody could have guessed where it would lead. The real turn came in 2001 with GTA III, which brought a three-dimensional open world and drew wide critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. Each new entry since has been seen as pushing the medium further.
The sales have been staggering. Take-Two Interactive, parent of Rockstar Games, counts 470 million units across the franchise, with GTA V alone near 230 million, second only to Minecraft. Its online version, where players buy in-game items, kept the money flowing through more than a decade without a new flagship release.
The success has never been free of controversy. Critics have long accused the games of glorifying violence and crime, and of misogynistic portrayals, caricatures and scenes of torture. Some countries have imposed bans or restrictions, and retailers have pulled titles. Yet the series is also praised for sharp cultural satire, and it has become part of everyday culture, with its lines quoted and its scenes shared as memes around the world. Famous actors and musicians have lent their voices and talents to it.
Now comes GTA VI, set in Leonida, a fictionalised Florida that returns to the Miami-inspired Vice City, and following the criminal couple Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. After being delayed twice, it is set for November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Its reported budget of $1 to $1.5 billion has drawn attention, though it remains unconfirmed by the company. How it lands with players will soon be known.
In 1997, the first Grand Theft Auto game put players in the role of a criminal running missions around cities, seen from above in a top-down view. The second game kept that look. Neither hinted at what the series would become. On November 19, GTA VI arrives on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, and it is widely expected to be the biggest game of the decade.
The turning point came in 2001 with GTA III, which combined a three-dimensional open world, advanced graphics and gameplay that earned widespread critical acclaim and a large fan base. Industry analysts and gamers have since credited each new title in the series with pushing the boundaries of what the medium can do.
The sales followed. Every GTA game has been a bestseller, bringing in billions of dollars for Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games. The last mainline entry, GTA V, came out in 2013. Take-Two says it reached $1 billion in retail sales faster than any entertainment release in history. By the company's most recent figures it has sold around 230 million copies, second only to Minecraft among all games. Across the whole franchise, Take-Two counts 470 million units sold. The series stayed a cash cow through more than a decade without a new flagship release, largely because of its online multiplayer version, where users buy in-game items.
Controversy has tracked that success. From the start, critics accused the games of glorifying violence and encouraging criminal behaviour, allegations Take-Two executives have denied. The series has also been criticised for misogynistic portrayals of women, caricatures of ethnic minorities and depictions of torture. The games are often praised for biting cultural satire, but the violence has at times led to bans and restrictions in some countries. In 2014, Target Australia stopped selling GTA V, citing customer concerns. The games carry a mature-audiences-only rating, and Take-Two executives have said customers should be free to choose what games they buy.
The series has nonetheless become a cultural institution. Its scenes and dialogue have spawned countless online memes, and fans around the world quote them. Big names have joined the cast: Hollywood star Ray Liotta voiced Tommy Vercetti, the lead of 2002's GTA: Vice City. Samuel L. Jackson, Burt Reynolds, Phil Collins and Ricky Gervais have all made cameos, and hip-hop figure Dr. Dre featured in 2021. For GTA VI, the French electro duo Justice is composing the soundtrack, and a companion album built around the game's universe brings together musicians including rapper Travis Scott and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.
Rockstar formally revealed GTA VI with a trailer in December 2023. It is set in Leonida, a fictionalised Florida that includes a return to the Miami-inspired Vice City, and follows a criminal couple, Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. The game was first aimed at late 2025 and was pushed back twice before settling on November 19. It reportedly cost between $1 billion and $1.5 billion to make, which would make it the most expensive cultural product ever. That figure is reported, not confirmed by the company. Whether the game matches the expectations around it will be clear soon after launch.
Citações Notáveis
GTA V reached $1 billion in retail sales faster than any entertainment release in history.— Take-Two Interactive
Customers should be free to choose what games they buy.— Take-Two executives (paraphrased)
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