GTA 6 Trailer 1: the reveal, scene by scene

The first GTA 6 trailer landed on December 4, 2023, a day earlier than planned: a low-quality version had leaked hours before, so Rockstar chose to release the real thing right away. It runs about a minute and a half, yet it reset expectations for the series. Here is what it actually shows, in order, keeping facts apart from deductions.

Scene by scene

The edit is fast and non-linear: below we walk through it in order, scene by scene.

The opening. An aerial shot glides over the wetlands, past flamingos and a beach. It is the introduction to the state of Leonida, inspired by Florida, set to Tom Petty’s “Love Is a Long Road”.

First look at Lucia. Inside a correctional facility: Lucia Caminos, in an inmate uniform, is being questioned. It is the first look at the protagonist, the modern series’ first non-optional playable woman.

The duo. Lucia is out again and joins Jason Duval. The trailer frames them as a couple, in a Bonnie and Clyde dynamic that is the declared heart of the story.

Life in Vice City. A montage of Vice City life, between beach and Ocean Drive: crowds in the sun, influencers filming on their phones, someone dancing on the roof of a car stuck in traffic. The satire no longer targets the ’80s but the present of social media.

Midway. The “Florida Man” gags: someone pulls an alligator out of a pool, another alligator wanders into a corner store. In between, a run of mugshots and arrests that sets the city’s criminal tone.

Toward the end. The heist: Lucia and Jason rob a store with their faces covered, Lucia firing a weapon. Then the chaos: police chases, a helicopter, an explosion, and glimpses of coast and nightlife, among boats, jet skis, a cop on horseback on the beach and neon-lit interiors.

The closing. A night shot of Vice City’s neon skyline, then the “Grand Theft Auto VI” logo and the line “Coming 2025”.

The key facts

• An early release. Rockstar was aiming for December 5, 2023, but after the leak it published the trailer on the 4th, with a blunt note: the video had leaked, so watch the real one.
• View record. It passed 90 million YouTube views in the first 24 hours, at the time a record for a video game trailer.
• The window shown was 2025. The date has since slipped twice, to November 19, 2026: the full story is in the announcement timeline.
• Platforms. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

What it does not say

A trailer is not gameplay. The reveal sets tone, setting and protagonists, but it does not explain how the game plays: progression, switching between the two characters, side activities all stay off screen. The Trailer 2, a year and a half later, widened the view without yet showing extended gameplay.

Frequently asked questions

When did the first GTA 6 trailer come out?

On December 4, 2023. It was planned for the 5th, but Rockstar moved it up a day after a version leaked online.

Who appears in Trailer 1?

The protagonist Lucia Caminos, shown inside a correctional facility, and Jason Duval, with whom she forms the duo at the center of the story.

What song is in the trailer?

“Love Is a Long Road” by Tom Petty, which carries almost the entire montage.