GTA 6 vs GTA 5 at a glance
| Feature | GTA 6 | GTA 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | November 19, 2026 | September 17, 2013 |
| Launch platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X|S | PS3, Xbox 360 |
| Later platforms | PC not announced yet | PS4 and Xbox One (2014), PC (2015), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S (2022) |
| Setting | Leonida, based on Florida | San Andreas, based on Southern California |
| Main city | Vice City (Miami) | Los Santos (Los Angeles) |
| Playable leads | Two: Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos | Three: Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips |
| Launch price (US) | $79.99 Standard, $99.99 Ultimate | $59.99 |
| Boxed copy | Download code in the box, no disc | Disc |
| Map size | Not confirmed | One city plus the countryside and desert of Blaine County |
| Cheats | Not confirmed yet | Button combos, PC console codes and phone numbers |
| Online mode | Not detailed yet | GTA Online, launched October 1, 2013 |
Setting: Leonida vs San Andreas
GTA 5 is set in San Andreas, Rockstar's Southern California. Most of the action happens in Los Santos, with Blaine County's small towns, desert and mountains to the north.
GTA 6 moves to Leonida, Rockstar's Florida. Vice City is the main city, and the state has five more confirmed regions: the Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia and Mount Kalaga National Park. Read more in the GTA 6 map guide.
Characters: two leads instead of three
GTA 5 has three playable leads: Michael, a retired bank robber; Franklin, a young hustler; and Trevor, a violent wildcard. You switch between them at most times.
GTA 6 has two: Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, a criminal couple. Lucia is the first female lead in a main GTA game since the 1997 original. Rockstar hasn't explained how switching between them works. Meet the full cast in the GTA 6 characters guide.
Platforms
GTA 5 launched on PS3 and Xbox 360, then came to PS4 and Xbox One in 2014, PC in 2015, and PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2022. GTA 6 launches only on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. There is no PC date yet. If GTA 6 follows GTA 5's path, a PC version could come well after the console launch.
Price and editions
GTA 5 cost $59.99 at launch. GTA 6 costs $79.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 for the digital-only Ultimate Edition in the US. There is no disc at launch: boxed copies contain a download code. Full details are in our GTA 6 release date guide.
Cheats
GTA 5 has cheats for every platform: button combos on console, typed codes on PC and phone numbers in the game. GTA 6 cheats aren't confirmed yet, but every single-player GTA so far has had them. See the GTA 6 cheats guide for GTA 5 codes you can use today.
Should you play GTA 5 before GTA 6?
You don't need to. GTA games tell separate stories, so GTA 6 makes sense on its own. GTA 5 is still worth playing if you want something to do before November, and its story mode is a good warm-up for how Rockstar handles heists and multiple leads.