WASHINGTON: Pre-sales of Grand Theft Auto VI, the feverishly anticipated video game release, will begin on June 25, Rockstar Games said on Thursday.

GTA VI, due to be released on November 19 after two delays, is the eighth main entry in the blockbuster franchise and is set to arrive more than 13 years after GTA V, the second best-selling video game in history.

Rockstar Games, owned by New York-based Take-Two Interactive, announced the date in a post on X, saying pre-orders would begin across digital platforms and at select retailers.

Rockstar also released the game's official cover art but did not disclose pricing.

Analysts believe the game will be available at a base price of $80, based on recent comments from Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick and industry reports.

As popular as it is notorious for its sexual and violent content, the franchise has allowed players to roleplay as criminals doing dirty deeds across sprawling cityscapes since its first entry in 1997.

The newest game was originally due to be released in 2025, with a trailer having shown that it would be set in Miami-like Vice City and would feature a playable female protagonist for the first time.

Critics have from the start accused Grand Theft Auto of glorifying violence and encouraging players to engage in criminal behavior—allegations rejected by Take-Two Interactive.

GTA players sell drugs, fight, rob, go on car rampages, and more.

GTA pre-sales

Grand Theft Auto VI presales to begin June 25