Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) Review and Impression

Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) — its release date, what effects and improvements people are talking about — and how it compares to its predecessor Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5).

🎮 Release Date

• Rockstar Games has officially set the release date for GTA 6 as May 26, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. indy100+3Rockstar Games+3PCGamesN+3
• The game was originally expected in fall 2025, but the date was pushed back. GamesRadar++1
• No firm release date for PC has been confirmed yet. PCGamesN+1

So: May 26, 2026 is the big day to mark down (for consoles), but we still wait for PC/other details.

🌟 Effects and Improvements (what people are noticing)

Since the game hasn’t released yet, most of this is based on trailers, early information and speculation. But there are a number of interesting effects/improvements being talked about:

Visual / graphics improvements

• The second trailer for GTA 6 was described as “preposterously gorgeous” — meaning: graphics, lighting, reflections, environment details seem ahead of what we saw before. PC Gamer
• For example: details like fabric wrinkles, time of day lighting, neon lighting in the city, more realistic environments. PC Gamer+1
• One blog noted: “The graphics looks spectacular, especially for an open world game.” Derek Lieu Creative
• That said: some viewers point out that because it’s trailer footage there are still unknowns about the real gameplay quality (frame-rate, loading, etc.). Derek Lieu Creative+1

Story / characters / setting

• GTA 6 will feature two main characters (one male, one female) — the duo dynamic is more emphasised. Digit+1
• The setting returns to a large open world inspired by Florida/Miami (called “Leonida” in leaks). Wikipedia+1
• Reviewers say the trailer shows more emotional moments, more cinematic attention to characters, than some previous GTA trailers. Creative Bloq

Scope & ambition

• Many expect GTA 6 to be much larger in world size, detail, number of activities than GTA 5. The hype is that “Rockstar is doing it again but bigger”. PC Gamer
• Because of this, there is concern about things like performance (frame rate) and optimisation. Some leaks even suggest the consoles might target 30 fps (not confirmed officially). Diario AS

🔍 How it compares to GTA 5

Since GTA 5 is a well-known quantity (released in 2013, massively successful) it helps to compare:

What made GTA 5 good

• GTA 5 was praised for its open world, which felt very alive with many activities beyond the main story. The Verge+2God is a Geek+2
• It had three playable protagonists, letting you switch and see different perspectives — this added freshness. Wikipedia+1
• The presentation (graphics for its time), the mission variety (from heists to free-roam fun), and the level of polish were high. The Verge+1
• Because of its success, the bar is very high for its sequel.

What GTA 6 aims to improve or change

• Graphics & realism: As above, GTA 6 looks visually a big step up from GTA 5.
• Dual protagonists (including a female lead) may change the story dynamic compared to GTA 5’s three male leads.
• Map/setting: While GTA 5 was set in a fictional Los Santos and region inspired by Southern California, GTA 6 seems to go for Florida/“Leonida” with new environments like swamps, islands, etc.
• Activities & immersion: The trailers suggest more immersion (eg character detail) and maybe more realistic world reactions.

Areas of caution

• Because GTA 5 came out many years ago, it has had time to be modded, updated, enjoyed; expectations for GTA 6 are enormous (almost too huge).
• As noted, some concerns: will performance match the visual ambition? Will the world be balanced (fun vs realistic)?
• One review of the GTA 6 trailer pointed out that the trailer, while gorgeous, lacked certain storytelling rhythm and felt more about showing graphics than giving a compelling story sample yet. Derek Lieu Creative

✅ In Summary

• Release Date: May 26, 2026 (so still some wait)
• Visuals & world: Looks like a big upgrade over GTA 5
• Story & characters: More ambition, new dynamics (male + female lead, new setting)
• Comparison: GTA 6 is building on GTA 5’s huge success and seems set to raise the bar
• But: The final game still needs to deliver on performance, depth, and polish — trailers look great, but the real test is when the full game launches.