GTA 6 to feature crypto rewards, new leak claims

Release date still shrouded in mystery as rumours hint at what players can expect from the next Grand Theft Auto

Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) may have a storyline taking place in Miami, Florida (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A new leak concerning the next game in the Grand Theft Auto series – presumably called GTA 6 – suggests that it will feature support for some kind of cryptocurrency.

With an expected release date of either 2023 or 2024, the sequel to GTA 5 is expected to be a major departure from its record-breaking predecessor.

The introduction of cryptocurrencies could come in the form of an in-game token that players can earn and spend, one report claims, which could also potentially be traded for other already-established cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

If implemented, it could spearhead the arrival of play-to-earn games, which the founder of Reddit predicts will comprise 90 per cent of the gaming market within the next five years.

A separate rumour hints that GTA 6 could be set in Colombia, Cuba and Miami, marking a significant shift from previous single-city games like the Los Angeles-inspired Los Santos.

GTA 6 is arguably the most eagerly anticipated video game in history, with fans waiting nearly a decade since the release of GTA 5 in 2013.

Developers Rockstar Games made the first official announcement earlier this year that a sequel to GTA 5 is in the works, however it does not comment on any leaks or rumours surrounding its release.

“With the unprecedented longevity of GTA V, we kno many of you have been asking us about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series,” the company wrote in a message on its website.

“With every new project we embark on, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we have previously delivered – and we are pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway.”

There is still no word on a release date, though there have been some hints made by Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two Interactive.

In a video conference call with investors on 16 May, a slide showed that video game releases between 2023 and 2025 did not include GTA 6. There was a caveat, however, with a footnote stating that new releases would be added to the document once they are officially announced.

Leading video games journalists, including Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, have predicted that the release date for GTA 6 will be at some point in 2023.

Rockstar Games has a history of delaying games after announcing them, as demonstrated by the sequel to Red Dead Redemption – aptly named Red Dead Redemption 2 – which was pushed back by almost a year before being released to critical acclaim.