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Your next trip to Los Santos could face an unexpected hurdle. That's because Rockstar Games appears to be developing an age verification system for GTA Online, with leaked screenshots revealing a new menu for the unannounced feature.
The introduction of the new barrier follows the enforcement of the UK's Online Safety Act, which started last month. Major platforms, like X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, Discord, Bluesky, and Grindr, have implemented strict new checks to verify that everyone accessing their platforms is aged over 18 years old. Companies found avoiding these new rules can face penalties reaching as high as £18 million or 10% of total global revenue — with potential criminal proceedings against executives or senior management who ignore Ofcom's information requests.
It's not a case of asking visitors to enter a Date of Birth, either. To comply with the Online Safety Act, the age verification will need to request your credit card details, estimate your age from a facial scan, or check a photograph of your passport or other government-approved ID, among a list of other approved methods.
And now, these same restrictions could be coming to Grand Theft Auto.
Established GTA leakster, known as Tez2, believes the new age checks will be rolled out regionally, starting with players located in the UK. Screenshots shared on X show a splash screen displaying "please verify your age to access online features" alongside new settings toggles. The system remains inactive but appears ready for deployment.
@TEZFUNZ2 | X.COM
|Leaked screenshots shared on X, formerly Twitter, show the new menu screens that could enforce the strict age checks required by the Online Safety Act
Once verified using one of the approved methods above, you'll regain access to various online features built into the multiplayer Grand Theft Auto experience, located in the fictional US State of San Andreas where Grand Theft Auto V is set. That includes text messaging, phone communications within the game, and the Snapmatic photo-sharing function.
The verification requirements will determine whether you can access online lobbies at all, tipsters with knowledge of Rockstar Games' plans revealed. Without age confirmation, these multiplayer spaces could become completely inaccessible. Implementation appears imminent for UK players, though Rockstar hasn't announced an official launch date. The company plans to expand the system to other regions following a successful launch in the UK.
Your gaming experience could change significantly if you're under 18.
The system would effectively lock out younger players from all online functionality, transforming GTA Online into an adults-only space in practice — rather than just in rating from the BBFC (you must be over 18 to buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto V for PlayStation or Xbox in your local store).
Your privacy concerns are shared by hundreds of thousands who've signed a petition demanding the law's repeal. Fans have expressed alarm about potential government surveillance, with one player declaring they possess a fake driver's licence to circumvent the system.
"I have a bad feeling about this," commented one user, whilst another warned about the coordinated nature of global age verification pushes. Gaming account GameRoll clarified that Rockstar must comply with legislation, stating "it's not Rockstar's fault."
This is a huge concern and sets a major precedent for the future of gaming and online discourse in general. Not good.
— earth is not my home (@State0fSteele) August 5, 2025
The backlash extends beyond privacy issues. YouGov polling reveals 71 percent of British GTA players first experienced the franchise before turning 18, with 20 percent starting before age 11.
This demographic shift could significantly alter the online community, potentially excluding the younger players who've historically formed a substantial portion of the player base.
Your excitement for Grand Theft Auto VI's upcoming May 2026 release might be tempered by these developments. The upcoming title will almost certainly incorporate age verification from launch, particularly given Rockstar Games' current preparations for GTA Online. This online space is widely expected to be overhauled in the wake of the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, bringing the fictional US state of Leonida, which is based on Florida.
It's up to the parents to determine if the game is ok for the child to play, not the role of the studio.
— Jin Saotome's Dangerous Toys (@JinSaotome) August 6, 2025
The expansive map in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI game will include Vice City, which is inspired by Miami, as well as other locations like the Leonida Keys (based on the Florida Keys) and Grassrivers (inspired by the Everglades). If the rumoured timeline is correct, and Rockstar Games is preparing to roll out its age checks soon, it suggests the developer wants time to refine this new system on GTA Online before implementing it in their flagship release.
If you're concerned about providing personal data — like a facial scan, credit card, or passport — it seems these worries will be around until at least the next generation of the franchise, as compliance with the Online Safety Act becomes mandatory for continued UK operations. The good news? You're not alone, a record number of Brits have flocked to download a VPN over concerns about the new age verification law.
It comes in the wake of a new report that claimed Grand Theft Auto VI will bring in $7.6bn (£5.7 billion, converted) during its first few weeks on sale. That eye-popping figure comes courtesy of investment firm Konvoy, which projects the feverishly anticipated title will recoup its estimated £1.5 billion development costs within just 30 days of launch.
Rockstar Games has been working on the next entry into its record-busting Grand Theft Auto series for almost a decade, with pre-production estimated to have started as early as 2016 before the developer stated work "in earnest" back in 2020. In the first two months, the gaming investment firm estimates that revenue will top $7.6bn (£5.7bn).
To achieve that record-breaking figure, Konvoy estimates that 85 million players will purchase the game at roughly £60 per copy in the first 60-day window. Rockstar Games has confirmed the Grand Theft Auto VI release date, but not the final cost of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S exclusive, which some estimate could be increased to £80 — much higher than a standard video game. If those whispers are accurate, revenue could be even higher for Rockstar Games.
Konvoy Managing Partner, Josh Chapman stated: "This will be the greatest video game release of all time; shattering player, viewership, and revenue records."
LINKEDIN | KONVOY
|Konvoy predicts that GTA VI will generate $7.6 billion in revenue in the first 60 Days of its launch (current release date: May 26, 2026)
The analysis suggests this will establish the title as the most successful gaming launch in history, with revenue streams extending beyond initial sales. Online multiplayer and its GTA+ subscriptions is expected to surge in the wake of the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, bringing in a projected £510 million within the first 60 days, Konvoy estimates. The investment firm's calculations factor in these additional revenue sources when reaching the ambitious £5.7bn forecast.
Konvoy predicts Grand Theft Auto VI will offer enhanced online gameplay with lobbies accommodating up to 200 players, featuring "higher risk/reward dynamics where you can raid and steal items from players more easily."
The firm envisions user-generated content (UGC) becoming a central part of the online experience, with Josh Chapman suggesting the crime satire will "have a UGC component that includes creator payouts for server hosts, mod creators, and more (mimicking the creator economics of [Fortnite] and Roblox)."
Konvoy Managing Partner Josh Chapman shared the update on LinkedIn
It's posible that Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick was hinting at this ever-evolving user generated content when stating there's "way more value to a consumer than whatever that consumer pays". Some took the comment to be a hint at subscription fees or other premium pricing strategies for Grand Theft Auto players.
Take-Two Interactive is the parent company for Rockstar Games.
To put the latest forecasts into perspective, the last entry into this record-breaking video game series, Grand Theft Auto V, achieved a whopping £750 million in sales within three days and has shifted over 215 million copies to date.
ROCKSTAR GAMES | TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE
|Grand Theft Auto VI will follow a modern-day Bonnie-and-Clyde duo in a fictional version of the US State of Florida
Whether it costs £60, £80, or closer to £100 ...you'll have plenty of time to save, since Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed until May 26, 2026.
Delays have become commonplace in modern game development as studios grapple with rising production costs and growing pressure from players to deliver polished experiences at launch. At the time, Rockstar Games said it planned to use the time "to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve."
Weeks on, Strauss Zelnick shed a little more light on the reasons behind the decision.
According to the 68-year-old executive, the launch of GTA VI was delayed to ensure the team at Rockstar Games was able to "achieve its creative vision with no limitations". That sounds like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S game could have made its autumn 2025 ...albeit with a few compromises on the scale and quality.
As we get closer to completion of a title that's seeking perfection," Strauss Zelnick exclusively told IGN, "the needs, or lack thereof, for continued polish become clear.
"In this case, there was an opportunity with a small amount of incremental time, we thought, to make sure Rockstar Games achieves its creative vision with no limitations. And I supported, of course, that approach."
"And while, of course, delays pain me — how could they not?," the Take-Two Interactive executive added, "the most important thing to do is to support your teams in their search for perfection."
Quizzed by IGN on whether fans of the franchise should expect further delays to Grand Theft Auto VI before May 26, 2026, Strauss Zelnick said that wasn't likely, starting: "I think historically when we set a specific date," he noted, "generally speaking, we've been very good about reaching it."
Despite the delay to Grand Theft Auto VI, the Take-Two Interactive boss is still bullish about the games lined-up for the rest of this year, including Borderlands 4 and Mafia: The Old Country as well as new entries in long-running sports game franchises, such as NBA 2K and WWE 2K.
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Despite this confidence from its CEO, Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive saw shares tumble 9% in premarket trading in the wake of the announcement of the Grand Theft Auto VI delay. Since then, the share price has recovered and climbed to a new record high.
Grand Theft Auto VI is widely-expected to be the biggest-selling game of all time when it arrives in May 2026.
Its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V, which first made its debut in 2013, has now sold more than 200 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time. That title still holds the crown for the best opening week of sales in video game history — raking in $1.15bn (£1.2bn) in five days.
ROCKSTAR GAMES | TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE
|Players will follow a couple, Jason and Lucia, in the next instalment of Grand Theft Auto, which includes the return of fictional city of Vice City for the first time since spin-off game, Vice City Stories
However, it's worth noting that Grand Theft Auto V has now appeared on three console generations, starting with the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 back in September 2013.
An upgraded version of the game launched on the latest crop of video game consoles, Xbox Series X|S and Sony PS5, in March 2022 with support for 4K Ultra HD visuals, ray-tracing, 60 frames-per-second, and 3D audio.
Since its initial launch, Grand Theft Auto V has soldiered on to become the second biggest game of all-time. However, it's unlikely to take the top sport as it's still 100 million copies behind the Gold Medalist, Minecraft.
ROCKSTAR GAMES | GTA 6, stylised as Grand Theft Auto VI, returns the action to the fictional city of Vice City, which is Rockstar Games' satirical version of Miami that featured in the 2002 GTA release of the same name Earlier this year, Microsoft added Grand Theft Auto V to its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service — a Netflix-like subscription with a rotating catalogue of games. With such strong interest in the previous entry in the long-running Grand Theft Auto franchise, some analysts predict record-breaking sales topping $3 billion in its first year alone. That record revenue could be partly attributed to a rumoured price rise for the blockbuster title.
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The long wait between instalments in the Grand Theft Auto franchise is an outlier in the industry, with other chart-topping series, like Call of Duty, EA Sports FC, and Pokémon, typically launching new games every year.
Summarising the bullish sentiment around the next launch from Rockstar Games, video game business expert and professor at the University of Southern California, Dmitri Williams said: "The brand is as strong or stronger than it was before, but additionally, the game industry is larger.
"If it maintains the same slice of the pie, it's going to be big, because it will come from a bigger pie. The games industry is simply massive globally, and is no single genre or platform. It's so large and so varied that even fractions of it are larger than whole parallel industries like movies."
The next instalment of the popular Grand Theft Auto series will take gamers back to Vice City, which last appeared in 2006's Vice City Stories. The developers have greatly expanded the world around this fictional city, Rockstar Games' neon-soaked take on modern-day Miami.
Grand Theft Auto VI will be set in a US state called Leonida that doubles as Florida. Expect a richly detailed world inspired by the cultural, political, and economic quirks of contemporary America, with a satirical lens sharper than ever. From influencer culture to corrupt institutions and viral internet madness, nothing is off-limits. The tone promises a return to GTA’s signature blend of dark humour and biting social commentary.
ROCKSTAR GAMES PRESS OFFICE
|Influencer culture and real-life Floridians are all expected to be satirised in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto title, which will be set in the fictional US state of Leonida
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The game features dual protagonists in a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style narrative, adding a gritty, emotional layer to the chaos. Rockstar is pushing realism, immersion, and interactivity to new heights, with smarter NPCs and a dynamic in-game economy. Yet much remains shrouded in mystery—from the full map scale to multiplayer details. But one thing’s certain: GTA VI is gearing up to be Rockstar’s boldest, most ambitious entry to date.
In the caption for the second trailer for its epic new crime-caper, Rockstar Games shared a brief summary of the plotline for Grand Theft Auto VI. It reads: "Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive."