GTA VI fans will have to wait for Online. But apparently not for long

GTA VI will launch without multiplayer, while the online mode is rumored to arrive in the first months of 2027.

With less than a week left before the return to Vice City, fans of the franchise are counting down the final days until release. However, on launch day they will only receive the single-player campaign, while the online mode will have to wait.

GTA VI has every chance of becoming the biggest release in gaming history. Suffice it to say that GTA V sales exceeded 235 million copies, with a significant part of the game’s success tied to the popularity of GTA Online. Over the years, millions of players have grown accustomed to exploring Los Santos together, so the lack of multiplayer at launch for the new installment may come as a surprise.

Discussions surrounding the launch timeline for GTA VI Online flared up following the release of a Bloomberg Originals report dedicated to the game’s years-long development. In the video featuring Jason Schreier, it was suggested that the full long-term live-service phase would only begin a year after release, when multiplayer launches. Some viewers interpreted this as confirmation that GTA VI Online would arrive in late 2027. However, the journalist clarified that he did not name a specific date. He merely emphasized that GTA VI will initially launch as a single-player title, with online content arriving the following year.

According to rumors, the wait might be much shorter. The industry is discussing the early months of 2027, with some speculation pointing to the first quarter. A similar timeframe appears in unofficial reports regarding the PC version of GTA VI. It is entirely possible that Rockstar Games will want to time both events together.