{
  "meta": {
    "name": "Leonida Lab",
    "url": "https://leonidalab.com",
    "license": "Facts are facts; attribution appreciated. No leaked content is included.",
    "updated": "2026-08-28"
  },
  "release": {
    "dateISO": "2026-11-19",
    "displayDate": "November 19, 2026",
    "countdownTargetUTC": "2026-11-19T05:00:00Z",
    "countdownNote": "Exact global unlock times are not announced yet. Countdown targets midnight Eastern Time on release day as a placeholder and will be corrected the moment Rockstar publishes unlock times.",
    "platforms": [
      {
        "name": "PlayStation 5",
        "status": "official"
      },
      {
        "name": "Xbox Series X|S",
        "status": "official"
      },
      {
        "name": "PC",
        "status": "tba",
        "note": "Not announced. Rockstar released GTA V and RDR2 on PC roughly 1-2 years after console."
      }
    ],
    "sources": [
      {
        "name": "Rockstar Newswire - release date confirmation",
        "url": "https://www.rockstargames.com/newswire",
        "date": "2025-11-06"
      },
      {
        "name": "Rockstar Games - Grand Theft Auto VI official site",
        "url": "https://www.rockstargames.com/VI",
        "date": "2025-05-06"
      }
    ]
  },
  "setting": {
    "state": "Leonida",
    "city": "Vice City",
    "protagonists": [
      "Jason Duval",
      "Lucia Caminos"
    ]
  },
  "editions": {
    "updated": "2026-08-28",
    "intro": "Rockstar is shipping Grand Theft Auto VI in two editions - Standard and Ultimate - plus a time-limited pre-order bonus pack. No collector's tier has been announced. One big catch: there is no disc version at all.",
    "format": {
      "headline": "No disc. Ever.",
      "confirmedDate": "2026-06-24",
      "facts": [
        {
          "item": "The launch version ships without a physical disc - confirmed by Rockstar on June 24, 2026, the day before pre-orders opened",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "item": "Boxed retail copies exist, but the box contains a download code, not a disc (\"code-in-a-box\")",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "item": "Boxed copies are available from November 12, 2026 - a week early, so you can redeem the code and preload",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "item": "The Ultimate Edition is digital-only - no boxed version",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "item": "No disc release later either - reports say Rockstar has no plans to press discs after launch",
          "status": "reported"
        }
      ]
    },
    "preorderBonus": {
      "name": "Vintage Vice City Pack",
      "status": "official",
      "summary": "Included with all pre-orders and with any digital purchase made before November 20, 2026.",
      "items": [
        "'55 Vapid Stanier sedan + garage alongside Ocean Beach",
        "Retro outfits and hairstyles for Jason and Lucia",
        "Exclusive vintage weapon pattern"
      ],
      "source": {
        "name": "Rockstar Games - pre-order announcement",
        "url": "https://www.rockstargames.com/VI",
        "date": "2026-06-25"
      }
    },
    "editions": [
      {
        "slug": "standard",
        "name": "Standard Edition",
        "priceUSD": 79.99,
        "priceStatus": "official",
        "summary": "The complete Grand Theft Auto VI experience - full campaign with Jason and Lucia across Vice City and the state of Leonida.",
        "includes": [
          {
            "item": "Full GTA VI campaign",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "Vintage Vice City Pack (if pre-ordered)",
            "status": "official"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "slug": "ultimate",
        "name": "Ultimate Edition",
        "priceUSD": 99.99,
        "priceStatus": "official",
        "summary": "Everything in Standard plus exclusive in-game businesses, missions and cosmetics - single-player content, not online-only. Digital-only edition.",
        "includes": [
          {
            "item": "Everything in the Standard Edition",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "Two exclusive side missions",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "Rideout Customs (exclusive vehicle shop)",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "Sara's Unisex Salon (exclusive hair/makeup options for Jason & Lucia)",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "Stock 305 (exclusive shop)",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "Electric Fang Tattoo (exclusive tattoo parlor)",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "One-Eyed Willie's (exclusive shop)",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "Premium vehicles: '95 Grotti Cheetah, Shitzu Squalo, '67 Vapid Dominator Buggy",
            "status": "official"
          },
          {
            "item": "Personalized weapons and additional apparel woven through the story",
            "status": "official"
          }
        ],
        "upgradeNote": {
          "text": "An Ultimate Edition Upgrade can be purchased separately by Standard owners at any time.",
          "status": "official"
        }
      }
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "q": "Does GTA 6 have a disc version?",
        "a": "No. There is no disc at all - boxed retail copies contain a download code (\"code-in-a-box\"), and every player downloads the full game. The Ultimate Edition is digital-only, with no boxed version."
      },
      {
        "q": "Can I upgrade from Standard to Ultimate later?",
        "a": "Yes - Rockstar has confirmed a separate Ultimate Edition Upgrade purchasable at any time, so buying Standard now doesn't lock you out."
      },
      {
        "q": "Is the Ultimate Edition content online-only?",
        "a": "No. The exclusive shops and missions are single-player content, which is what makes the $20 premium meaningful for solo players."
      },
      {
        "q": "Do I lose the pre-order bonus if I buy digitally on launch day?",
        "a": "Any digital purchase made before November 20, 2026 includes the Vintage Vice City Pack - that covers launch-day digital buys, not just pre-orders."
      }
    ],
    "sources": [
      {
        "name": "Rockstar Games - Grand Theft Auto VI editions",
        "url": "https://www.rockstargames.com/VI",
        "date": "2026-06-25"
      },
      {
        "name": "Variety - GTA 6 price and pre-orders",
        "url": "https://variety.com/2026/gaming/news/gta-6-price-single-player-pre-orders-1236789407/",
        "date": "2026-06"
      },
      {
        "name": "PC Gamer - GTA 6 pre-order editions explained",
        "url": "https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/gta-6-pre-order-editions-standard-ultimate/",
        "date": "2026-06"
      },
      {
        "name": "Push Square - code-in-a-box confirmation",
        "url": "https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/06/gta-6-physical-edition-doesnt-come-with-discs-its-a-code-in-the-box",
        "date": "2026-06-24"
      },
      {
        "name": "The Hollywood Reporter - no disc plans after launch",
        "url": "https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/grand-theft-auto-vi-digital-only-no-disc-rip-physical-media-1236629695/",
        "date": "2026-08"
      }
    ]
  },
  "characters": [
    {
      "slug": "jason-duval",
      "name": "Jason Duval",
      "role": "Protagonist",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "One of the two playable protagonists. An ex-Army dropout who fell into working for local drug runners in the Keys, Jason wants an easy life - but every escape plan keeps getting messier.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "Playable",
          "value": "Yes - dual-protagonist",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "label": "First appearance",
          "value": "Trailer 1 (Dec 2023)",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "lucia-caminos",
      "name": "Lucia Caminos",
      "role": "Protagonist",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "The second playable protagonist and the series' first playable female lead since the 2D era. Fresh out of prison, Lucia is determined to change her luck - with Jason, and with everything Leonida throws at them.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "Playable",
          "value": "Yes - dual-protagonist",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "label": "First appearance",
          "value": "Trailer 1 (Dec 2023)",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "cal-hampton",
      "name": "Cal Hampton",
      "role": "Supporting",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "Jason's friend - a conspiracy-minded recluse who feels safest behind his monitors, eavesdropping on Coast Guard radio with a beer.",
      "facts": []
    },
    {
      "slug": "boobie-ike",
      "name": "Boobie Ike",
      "role": "Supporting",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A Vice City legend who turned street reputation into a business empire - strip club, recording studio, and real estate across the city.",
      "facts": []
    },
    {
      "slug": "dre-quan-priest",
      "name": "Dre'Quan Priest",
      "role": "Supporting",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "An ambitious music mogul running Only Raw Records, working every angle to turn local acts into worldwide names.",
      "facts": []
    },
    {
      "slug": "real-dimez",
      "name": "Real Dimez",
      "role": "Supporting",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "Bae-Luxe and Roxy, friends since high school who turned shaking down local dealers into rap tracks and a relentless social presence. An early hit with DWNPLY took them high once - now they're signed to Only Raw Records, hoping lightning strikes twice.",
      "facts": []
    },
    {
      "slug": "raul-bautista",
      "name": "Raul Bautista",
      "role": "Supporting",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A seasoned bank robber always assembling the next crew for the next big score - appetite for risk very much intact.",
      "facts": []
    },
    {
      "slug": "brian-heder",
      "name": "Brian Heder",
      "role": "Supporting",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A classic drug runner from the Keys' golden smuggling era, still moving product through the islands - and letting Jason live at his place, in exchange for favors.",
      "facts": []
    }
  ],
  "locations": [
    {
      "slug": "vice-city",
      "name": "Vice City",
      "type": "City",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "Leonida's neon heart, inspired by Miami - beaches, nightlife, money old and new, and every hustle in between. The core urban playground of GTA VI.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "Inspired by",
          "value": "Miami, Florida",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "label": "Known districts",
          "value": "Ocean Beach and others shown in official material",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "leonida-keys",
      "name": "Leonida Keys",
      "type": "Region",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A chain of laid-back islands south of the mainland - boat life, diving, and a long history of smuggling. Inspired by the Florida Keys.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "Inspired by",
          "value": "Florida Keys",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "grassrivers",
      "name": "Grassrivers",
      "type": "Region",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "Vast wetlands teeming with wildlife - airboats, gators, and places where things (and people) disappear. Inspired by the Everglades.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "Inspired by",
          "value": "The Everglades",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "port-gellhorn",
      "name": "Port Gellhorn",
      "type": "Town",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A faded Gulf-coast town where past glory meets present hustle - motels, dive bars, and a demolition derby crowd.",
      "facts": []
    },
    {
      "slug": "ambrosia",
      "name": "Ambrosia",
      "type": "Town",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A company town built around the sugar mill - smoke stacks, cane fields, and hard-working, hard-living locals.",
      "facts": []
    },
    {
      "slug": "mount-kalaga",
      "name": "Mount Kalaga",
      "type": "Region",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "Pine forests, rolling hills and off-grid living in Leonida's north - hunting, mud clubs, and people who prefer not to be found.",
      "facts": []
    }
  ],
  "vehicles": [
    {
      "slug": "vapid-stanier-55",
      "name": "'55 Vapid Stanier",
      "class": "Sedan (classic)",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A timeless '55 sedan included in the Vintage Vice City Pack pre-order bonus, delivered with a garage alongside Ocean Beach - the first officially named vehicle of GTA VI.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "How to get",
          "value": "Pre-order bonus (Vintage Vice City Pack)",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "label": "Class",
          "value": "Classic sedan",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "grotti-cheetah-95",
      "name": "'95 Grotti Cheetah",
      "class": "Sports classic",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A '95 icon of Italian-style speed, officially named as one of the premium vehicles included with the Ultimate Edition. Full stats land when the game does.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "How to get",
          "value": "Ultimate Edition (premium vehicle)",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "label": "Class",
          "value": "Sports classic",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "shitzu-squalo",
      "name": "Shitzu Squalo",
      "class": "Boat (speedboat)",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "The classic Shitzu speedboat returns to Vice City waters - officially named as a premium vehicle in the Ultimate Edition. Built for the Keys.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "How to get",
          "value": "Ultimate Edition (premium vehicle)",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "label": "Class",
          "value": "Speedboat",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "vapid-dominator-buggy-67",
      "name": "'67 Vapid Dominator Buggy",
      "class": "Muscle (off-road)",
      "status": "official",
      "blurb": "A '67 muscle body on buggy running gear - officially named as a premium vehicle in the Ultimate Edition. Sand, swamp and everything between.",
      "facts": [
        {
          "label": "How to get",
          "value": "Ultimate Edition (premium vehicle)",
          "status": "official"
        },
        {
          "label": "Class",
          "value": "Muscle / off-road",
          "status": "official"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "slug": "release-date",
      "q": "When does GTA 6 come out?",
      "a": "Grand Theft Auto VI releases on Thursday, November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar confirmed the date on the Rockstar Newswire after moving it from the earlier May 2026 window.",
      "status": "official"
    },
    {
      "slug": "pc",
      "q": "Is GTA 6 coming to PC?",
      "a": "A PC version has not been announced. Rockstar historically ships PC later - GTA V came to PC about 19 months after console, Red Dead Redemption 2 about 13 months after. Treat any specific PC date you see as speculation until it's on the Rockstar Newswire.",
      "status": "tba"
    },
    {
      "slug": "price",
      "q": "How much does GTA 6 cost?",
      "a": "The Standard Edition is $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition is $99.99 in the US. That's a $10 step above the previous $69.99 AAA standard.",
      "status": "official"
    },
    {
      "slug": "editions",
      "q": "What editions are there?",
      "a": "Two: Standard ($79.99) and Ultimate ($99.99). The Ultimate Edition adds exclusive single-player businesses, missions and cosmetics, and all pre-orders get the Vintage Vice City Pack. See our full editions comparison for the line-by-line breakdown.",
      "status": "official"
    },
    {
      "slug": "map",
      "q": "How big is the GTA 6 map?",
      "a": "Rockstar hasn't published official dimensions. What's official: the game spans the state of Leonida, including Vice City, the Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia and Mount Kalaga. We'll publish measured comparisons once the game is out - not before.",
      "status": "tba"
    },
    {
      "slug": "protagonists",
      "q": "Who do you play as in GTA 6?",
      "a": "Two protagonists: Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, a couple caught up in a conspiracy across Leonida. Lucia is the series' first playable female lead since the 2D era.",
      "status": "official"
    },
    {
      "slug": "online",
      "q": "Will GTA 6 have an online mode at launch?",
      "a": "Rockstar hasn't detailed GTA VI's online component yet. For reference, GTA Online launched two weeks after GTA V. We track this on the Newswire watcher and will update the moment anything is official.",
      "status": "tba"
    },
    {
      "slug": "disc",
      "q": "Is GTA 6 digital-only? Does it have a disc?",
      "a": "There is no disc. Rockstar confirmed on June 24, 2026 that the launch version ships without physical discs - boxed retail copies contain a download code (\"code-in-a-box\"), and every player downloads the full game. Boxed copies are available from November 12, a week early, so you can redeem the code and preload. The Ultimate Edition is digital-only with no boxed version at all.",
      "status": "official"
    },
    {
      "slug": "preload",
      "q": "When can I preload GTA 6?",
      "a": "The preload window opens around November 12, 2026 - one week before launch - which is also when boxed code-in-a-box copies become available to redeem. Exact per-store preload hours and the install size aren't published yet; this page updates the moment they are. Clear SSD space early either way.",
      "status": "official"
    },
    {
      "slug": "crossplay",
      "q": "Does GTA 6 support crossplay?",
      "a": "Not announced. Nothing official exists on crossplay between PS5 and Xbox Series X|S yet.",
      "status": "tba"
    },
    {
      "slug": "early-access",
      "q": "Is there early access for GTA 6?",
      "a": "No early-access period has been announced for any edition. Notably, the Ultimate Edition's listed benefits are content, not early play time.",
      "status": "tba"
    }
  ],
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-08-28",
      "title": "Leonida Lab goes live",
      "summary": "Initial database: release info, both editions compared line-by-line, all 8 officially revealed characters, all 6 official regions, countdown and launch checklist.",
      "type": "site"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-06-25",
      "title": "Pre-orders open - editions & pricing official",
      "summary": "Standard $79.99 / Ultimate $99.99, Vintage Vice City Pack pre-order bonus, Ultimate Edition Upgrade purchasable later.",
      "type": "official"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-06-24",
      "title": "No disc: boxed copies are code-in-a-box",
      "summary": "Rockstar confirms the launch version ships without a physical disc - boxed retail copies contain a download code, available from November 12 to support preloading. The Ultimate Edition is digital-only.",
      "type": "official"
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-11-06",
      "title": "Release date confirmed: November 19, 2026",
      "summary": "Rockstar confirmed the final date on the Newswire, moving from the May 2026 window.",
      "type": "official"
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-05-06",
      "title": "Trailer 2 + official site update",
      "summary": "Rockstar revealed the full character roster (Jason, Lucia, Cal, Boobie, Dre'Quan, Real Dimez, Raul, Brian) and six named regions of Leonida.",
      "type": "official"
    },
    {
      "date": "2023-12-04",
      "title": "Trailer 1",
      "summary": "First official reveal, released a day early after a leak: Vice City, state of Leonida, Lucia introduced. Most-viewed game reveal ever in its first 24 hours.",
      "type": "official"
    }
  ]
}