GTA 6 Is One Month Away: Game of the Year Eligibility, Bloomberg's Behind the Scenes Story, and Vice City Murals in Miami
Grand Theft Auto VI is one month away. In the last week alone, it locked in Game of the Year eligibility by a single day, Bloomberg published the biggest look yet at how Rockstar made it, review copies were reported to be going out soon, and Vice City art took over the real streets of Miami. Here's everything you need to know before November 19.
By Matthew Joiner, Editor in Chief
We are officially one month out. On Thursday, November 19, 2026, Grand Theft Auto VI launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, more than 13 years after GTA V. After two delays, a record breaking first trailer and years of waiting, this is the final stretch.
And the last week was packed. Here's the roundup.
The Basics
| Release date | Thursday, November 19, 2026 |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Setting | Vice City and the state of Leonida |
| Leads | Jason and Lucia |
| Developer | Rockstar Games |
| Editions | Standard $80, Ultimate $100 (as reported by Mashable) |
| Preload | Starts Thursday, November 12 for pre-orders |
| Score | Original score by Justice |
The Launch Trailer
Rockstar released the official GTA VI Launch Trailer on Thursday, October 15. It's 90 seconds of Jason and Lucia's "easy score" going wrong, captured in game on PS5, and it debuts a brand new song: "Flower in a Hurricane" by Justice featuring Tame Impala, SZA and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. Justice is also composing the game's original score, and the song is on Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, which is up for pre-save now.
Pre-orders and preload
Pre-orders are live at the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Rockstar Store and major retailers. Mashable reports two editions: Standard at $80 and Ultimate at $100, with a Vintage Vice City Pack bonus for pre-orders. If you pre-order, preloading starts Thursday, November 12, so the game is ready to play the moment it unlocks on November 19.
1. It's Eligible for Game of the Year, by One Day
This was the big question after the second delay, and now we have the answer. The Game Awards 2026 FAQ says a game has to be commercially available by Friday, November 20, 2026, at 9 p.m. PT to qualify. GTA VI launches November 19. That's one day to spare.
IGN, Kotaku and Polygon all reported on the eligibility on October 15. Being eligible doesn't mean a nomination is guaranteed, because the jury still has to pick it. But it means GTA VI can compete for Game of the Year in 2026 instead of waiting until the 2027 show.
2. Review Copies Are Reportedly Going Out Soon
Rockstar hasn't announced a review date yet, so treat this one as reported, not confirmed. According to Insider Gaming and the well known leaker NateTheHate (October 14 and 15), critics are expected to get review copies before the end of October, and the review embargo is expected to lift before launch.
That timing matters for the Game Awards. The jury votes on nominations in November, so jurors need time with the game before they cast their ballots.
For context, both GTA V (2013) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) had reviews go live the day before launch. We'll update this post if Rockstar confirms a date.
3. Bloomberg's Behind the Scenes Story
On October 14, Bloomberg Businessweek published a huge feature by reporter Jason Schreier on how GTA VI was made. The highlights:
- It started in 2015 under the internal codename "Project Americas," and development took more than eight years.
- The first plan was much bigger. The original idea covered huge areas across the Americas before it was scaled back to focus on Leonida and Vice City.
- Rockstar nearly doubled in size. The company grew from 2,441 employees when Red Dead Redemption 2 launched in 2018 to 4,711 staff across 12 offices, with about 4,020 of them in development and QA.
- The pandemic slowed things down. Developers couldn't reach sensitive internal tools from home, and performance capture had to happen in person.
- Realism vs. fun was a constant fight. The team had to decide how realistic everyday actions should be, down to something as simple as drinking a beer.
- Both delays were about quality. Rockstar's head of publishing, Jennifer Kolbe, said Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick pushed back on more delays at first, but came around once he understood why the team needed the extra time.
The most interesting part for the future: Rockstar's leaders say the engine, tools and team they built for GTA VI give them a foundation to work faster on what comes next, instead of starting over. Rockstar hasn't announced its next game, though, and people said the same thing after Red Dead Redemption 2. So we'll believe the shorter wait when we see it.
4. Vice City Art Hits the Real Streets of Miami
This one is just cool. Rockstar partnered with Wynwood Walls, Miami's famous street art museum, to bring Vice City into the real world. 10 new murals with original artwork made for GTA VI are now up inside the Wynwood Walls campus and around the Wynwood neighborhood. And the same art appears inside the game, in Vice City's version of the arts district, called Stockyard.
The project was produced by Goldman Global Arts with work from 15 street artists, including Miami's own ATOMIK and Tatiana Suarez, plus Askew One, DENIAL, FAILE, Gons and Audet, Lady AIKO, Queen Andrea, Ron English and Tristan Eaton.
A few details worth knowing:
- The murals are up until January 1, 2027, so you have time to visit after launch.
- Miami-Dade residents get free admission to the Wynwood Walls museum through 2028. Bring a photo ID with a Miami-Dade address.
- "The Art of Vice City" merch collection features designs from all 15 artists and is on pre sale at the official Wynwood Walls shop (shop.thewynwoodwalls.com). It ranges from stickers and playing cards to T-shirts, hoodies and beach towels.
If you're in Miami, this is the closest thing to walking through Vice City before November 19.
The Countdown
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Late October | Review copies reportedly go out to critics (not confirmed by Rockstar) |
| Thu, Nov 12 | Preloading starts for pre-orders |
| Before Nov 19 | Review embargo reportedly lifts |
| Thu, Nov 19 | Grand Theft Auto VI launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| Fri, Nov 20, 9 p.m. PT | The Game Awards 2026 eligibility cutoff |
| Until Jan 1, 2027 | GTA VI murals on view in Wynwood, Miami |
And for old times' sake, here's Trailer 2:
Our Take
I'm calling it now: GTA VI is going to sweep Game of the Year. Not just at The Game Awards, everywhere. More than eight years of work, a team of over 4,700 people, and a studio that has never really missed. Making the cutoff by one day feels like it was meant to happen.
And yes, I'm buying it day one. November 19 is already blocked off.
We'll have our full review after launch, with our own scores. Until then, we'll keep this post updated as Rockstar confirms review dates and anything else before release.
Do you think GTA VI sweeps Game of the Year, or does something else take it? Let us know on Instagram.
