I’m usually very reluctant to make predictions about the future. Even though I try every year with the upcoming NFL season, I always disclose that my track record is not great. So, it’s exceedingly rare that I ever predict anything with confidence.
Today, I’m making an exception. Because I’ve never been more confident in predicting what will happen on May 26, 2026.
On that day, Grand Theft Auto VI is set to be released. And if, by chance, you had any plans that day, expect them to be impacted significantly. If you need to understand why, just take a moment to appreciate the trailer that Rockstar Games dropped for this game.
Even if you don’t play video games or aren’t a fan of games like Grand Theft Auto, there’s a very high likelihood you know someone who already has this date marked. I’ve highlighted before just how big this franchise is. It’s more than just a string of video games. Grand Theft Auto is one of the most valuable and lucrative franchises in all of entertainment.
Just look at the number of views for this and the previous trailer.
Look at just how much revenue the previous Grand Theft Auto game generated.
There are entire film and TV franchises that can’t even compare to Grand Theft Auto. Even if you find that annoying, thinking this game will only occupy a certain male video game playing demographic, you’re wrong. This game is going to completely overtake the entertainment landscape when it comes out.
So, between now and May 26, 2026 (assuming no delays), plan accordingly. Because it’s a near certainty that this date, as well as the entire week that ensues, will be the least productive week of the year. Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be the biggest video game of the decade, if not of all time. In terms of predictions, I’m as confident as anyone can be on this.
It’s relatively common these days for someone to claim certain news or announcements will “break the internet.” The fact you’re reading this and the internet is still intact demonstrates how much that sentiment has become cliché. And given how many dumb things end up trending for dumber reasons, it’s perfectly reasonable to roll your eyes at the very concept.
This event might not have “broken” the internet, but it has perfectly demonstrated how the internet can reflect the hype and excitement for something. Whether it’s a game, a movie, a TV show, or a big moment in sports, there’s something powerful about how it reveals the interest and popularity of something. It’s just as powerful at highlighting the controversies surrounding it, even when those controversies are dumb.
In case you missed it or just want to watch it again for the hundredth time, here’s the trailer to Grand Theft Auto VI.
Unless you’re familiar with video games and the gaming industry, as a whole, you probably can’t appreciate just what a big deal this trailer is. Even if you’ve never played a video game in your life, you’ve probably heard about the Grand Theft Auto games, but not for the reasons you’ve also probably heard of Mario.
Grand Theft Auto is one of those gaming franchises that has always been in the news for the right and wrong reasons. This is the franchise that helped popularize the concept of open world games. You’re not restricted to just going from one point to another, completing objectives in a mostly linear manner. You’re free to explore an entire virtual world. And the Grand Theft Auto games are among the best at creating those worlds while also putting a unique twist on them.
But it’s that freedom to explore unique worlds that has also led to the many controversies surrounding this franchise, going all the way back to the early 1990s. As the title suggests, one of the major activities in these games often involve committing crimes and following stories that involve any number of criminal activities. From robbing banks to doing heists to assassination plots, there’s all sorts of devious activities to be had in these games.
Naturally, that has always drawn the ire of the anti-fun puritanical whiners from all ends of the political spectrum. Grant Theft Auto was among the franchises singled out by some of the industry’s most vocal critics. And it’s still often cited as the embodiment of the worst elements of modern video games, from how it glorifies violence to how it presents female characters to how it satirizes American politics.
But despite all these controversies and crusades, there’s no denying one critical detail. This franchise is insanely popular. It is one of these most successful franchises in the history of gaming. And its developer, Rockstar Games, is one of these most successful and respected video game publishers in the world. They may not be iconic in the same way as Nintendo, but make no mistake. This series and this company are among the greatest success stories in the history of video games and media, in general.
To understand the breadth of that success, you need to look beyond the simple sales figures of those games. Granted, Grand Theft Auto games tend to be among the highest-selling video games of all time. Both Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas sold over 20 million copies in the early 2000s. And they put up those numbers, despite some controversies that threatened to pull them from store shelves.
But even these sales figures pale in comparison to the success of Grand Theft Auto V, the current gold standard of the series. This game, which was originally released in 2013, has sold 190 million copies worldwide across multiple platforms. For any game or any media product of any kind, that is not a trivial figure.
But it’s the revenue generated by Grand Theft Auto V that’s truly worth noting. As of December 2023, this game has generated approximately $8.3 billion in revenue. This includes both sales of the game and the money generated by its online features. That’s not just a lot of money by most measures. That kind of revenue makes this one Grand Theft Auto game one of the most successful media products of all time.
It made more money than every Avatar movie.
It made more money than nearly every TV show or series.
It made more money than any musician, band, or artist.
Unless the franchise involves Star Wars or Marvel, this one game probably out-grossed it all. Even with it being the biggest target among anti-gaming critics, it has become one of the biggest success stories in the history of modern media.
And now, Rockstar is preparing to give us a sequel. It’s been in the work for many years, even while Grand Theft Auto V was still generating plenty of revenue. It’s also expected to be one of the most expensive games to develop of all time, with costs expected to range between $1 billion and $2 billion. But to anyone who has watched the trailer and knows Rockstar’s track record, it’s clear they’re putting that money to good use.
I don’t claim to know how much money this game will make. But it’s worth noting that, when the trailer released, it generated over 100 million views within the first 36 hours. To put that into perspective, that’s more than the trailer for Grand Theft Auto V has generated over 12 years. These are figures that rival that of the Avengers: Infinity War trailer or a Taylor Swift music video.
With all these numbers and perspectives in mind, what does this ultimately mean for this game and the millions of gamers looking forward to playing it? Nobody can say for certain. While Grand Theft Auto might not be my favorite gaming franchise, I have played these games. I understand why they’re so popular and why they’re so controversial.
The popularity of these games may not be as obvious as packed concerts or crowded movie theaters. But the reaction to this trailer, both in terms of raw figures and the discourse surrounding it, should offer some insights into just how popular this series is. And if it’s even as remotely successful as its predecessor, it’s certain to generate more reactions and controversies for the right and wrong reasons.
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