'Grand Theft Auto 6' release date news update: New 'GTA' installment to revisit Vice City, with first female protagonist still scheduled

Screenshot from the "Grand Theft Auto V" trailerYouTube/Rockstar Game

It has been a while since "Grand Theft Auto V" was first released, and Rockstar Games continues to support the game's online mode with new content packs. However, a sixth installment in the "GTA" franchise is already quite overdue, the the recent reports seem to agree that the "Grand Theft Auto VI" is under development. If the rumors are anything to go by, "GTA VI" will take players back to Vice City as it introduces the series' first ever female lead character.

It has been reported that Rockstar has also started planning the contents of "Grand Theft Auto VI," and the expectation is that the upcoming title will be bigger and nothing like any previous "GTA" installments. Although, the fans should be a little more patient as such a huge project would take some years to be completed. In the case of "Grand Theft Auto VI," the game could be launched three to four years from now. 

The long wait for "Grand Theft Auto VI" could be worth it, per the latest reports, as the title will feature an even larger world map that encompasses all the popular cities in the United States. It was even tipped that the video game could also include its first non-U.S. location, as the players can fly in and out of the cities.

The fans of "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" will love the sixth major "GTA" title as it may possibly include the fictional city based on Miami. However, it is not known how much of the game will be dedicated to Vice City, as "GTA VI" is also expected to highlight other locations such as South America.

Another possible highlight of "Grand Theft Auto VI" is the first ever female protagonist in the franchise. The past titles have always featured a male lead character that gets the job done. This time around, Rockstar could take "GTA VI" as an opportunity to show that a female character is just as effective in taking on the crimes in the city. However, it is uncertain if the female lead will go solo in the game, or there will be other male characters to join her in the story.

At this point, "Grand Theft Auto VI" is not expected to arrive until 2022, and it is unlikely that Rockstar Games will mention something about a game that is still under development.

Some rumors suggested that Rockstar will officially tease "GTA VI" at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June, but that may not happen as the studio will be focused on promoting "Red Dead Redemption 2," which will be out later in 2018. If anything, the first confirmed details about "Grand Theft Auto VI" will be revealed at E3 2019, or possibly the next one.