The latest trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 was somehow even more impressive than the first, giving fans another sneak peek at what is hopefully to come in 2026. The massively overhauled visuals of GTA 6 compared to its predecessor left me in awe at the sheer upgrade. Thankfully, the over-decade-long wait for GTA 6 seems to have been worth it after seeing more gorgeous footage from the next generation experience, but it didn't eliminate every concern over the highly anticipated title.

Given that much of the trailer footage seemed to be pre-rendered cutscenes or in-engine footage rather than actual gameplay, it brought up worries that the full release won't be nearly as impressive as the trailers. This wouldn't be the first time an incredibly ambitious next-generation title has caused disappointment on release, with Cyberpunk 2077's launch still leaving a scar on the industry. While Rockstar's marketing decisions for GTA 6​​​​​​​ have been more than a little unconventional, the studio's solid track record helps alleviate my concerns.

RDR2's Trailers Were Incredibly Accurate To Its Gameplay

Rockstar's Marketing Direction Hasn't Failed Me Yet

Despite some frustration over Rockstar's lack of marketing details for the GTA 6, it's more in line with previous titles than many fans realize. Red Dead Redemption 2 not only had a strikingly similar trailer schedule, but it also faced skepticism that the visuals were simply too good to be true, and would likely get downgraded in the full release. Thankfully, not only did RDR2 manage to hold up to its reveal trailers, but it even sured their fidelity with its character models and lighting, as shown by X iThreeBit.

To this day, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains one of the most visually breathtaking gaming experiences on the market, which managed to run surprisingly well on hardware at the time. Setting a new standard for both visual fidelity and realism, it's almost no wonder GTA 6 took so long, with how high a bar Rockstar managed to set for itself. While the graphical leap from GTA 5 to GTA 6 is harder to swallow, it's more realistic when compared to the level of detail in RDR2 itself, with X s like Trevorphillipsig recreating GTA 6 screenshots in RDR2 for comparison.

Given the similarities in Rockstar's marketing for RDR2 and GTA 6, it's likely that there will be at least one more cinematic trailer to build up hype for the game before we see an extended in-game gameplay preview. While I'm even more excited to see what Grand Theft Auto 6 will look like on its full release after seeing Rockstar's track record with trailers compared to actual gameplay, it does present another concern for its eventual release.

GTA 6 Will Likely Have Some Hefty Hardware Requirements

Plenty Of Time To Upgrade While Waiting For GTA 6's Eventual Release

If your first thought after seeing the latest trailer for GTA 6 is that you need a console upgrade or a new graphics card, you aren't alone, as Rockstar's latest outing will likely be one of the most demanding games in recent years. Despite the highly ambitious fidelity and scale that GTA 6 seems to provide, Rockstar's optimization has managed some fantastic feats in the past, managing the feat of having the gorgeously detailed Red Dead Redemption 2 running at a stable rate on last-generation consoles like the PlayStation 4, let alone the jokingly rumored PlayStation 6 teases.

While GTA 6 might run better than expected on older hardware, the biggest challenge will likely be the sheer size of its game files, taking up a significant portion of storage space. While the extended release date offers plenty of time to save up for an upgrade, the expectations that GTA 6's launch will get pushed yet again make me almost believe the PlayStation 6 will release before Rockstar's next-generation title. Regardless, at this point I'm happy to give Rockstar all the time they need for Grand Theft Auto 6 to help the game live up to its monumental expectations.

Sources: Trevorphillipsig/X, iThreeBit/X