Despite the ban on GTA 6 in several countries before its release, Australia has adopted a different approach, requiring players who wish to play to use a real identification document to verify their age in accordance with the country's new online safety laws.
The most anticipated game is expected to be released on November 19th. Enthusiasts can pre-order the standard version of GTA 6 for $80 or the Ultimate Edition for $100, which includes in-game bonuses.
According to information from Rockstar Games, the Grand Theft Auto VI: Ultimate Edition will provide users with 'the most exciting GTA experience to date,' offering premium vehicles, weapons, cosmetic items, and access to events in the story of Jason and Lucia. Many fans have criticized the company for a 'predatory' approach to content restriction via paid subscriptions, despite the already high price of the game at $80.
Australia's new online safety laws have caused much debate and speculation among local residents, who have expressed concerns about publishing personal data online, including national IDs, driver's licenses, and selfies. According to News.com.au, Australia adopted this law in March, obligating users to provide Rockstar with their real identification if they want to play the R18+ rated game.
Dexerto reported, citing an Australian resource, that Rockstar Games could face fines of up to $49.5 million for each violation of the requirements. All this comes amid fan anticipation for the release of the third trailer for GTA 6, which is reported to showcase gameplay and more details about the story of Jason and Lucia.
Despite being one of the most anticipated titles in video game history, Grand Theft Auto VI risks being excluded from the 2026 The Game Awards competition. This scenario is not related to the quality of the game, but rather to the awards calendar and the strategic approach defined by Rockstar Games for its launch.
The release of Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for November 19, 2026. This means it will reach stores just a few weeks before the The Game Awards ceremony, which will take place in Los Angeles on December 10. According to information provided by Polygon, the period during which games are eligible for nominations usually ends in mid-November, which would be before the release of GTA 6.
Although The Game Awards regulations provide for possibilities of exceptions in certain circumstances, a launch so close to the awards date makes it difficult for specialized outlets and the jury to have adequate time to play and conduct a complete evaluation of the title. This situation has been observed in previous editions of the event.
In past years, several games released at the end of November ended up not featuring in that year's The Game Awards edition. Among these titles are: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Demon's Souls Remake, and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. In these cases, the games had to wait to compete for awards at the subsequent ceremony.
Another factor that could hinder GTA 6's participation is the game's distribution policy to the press. There have been recent rumors that Rockstar does not plan to provide early copies to journalists and content creators. Instead, selected outlets would be invited to private testing sessions held at locations controlled by the company itself. This tactic would aim to prevent new leaks, following multiple incidents involving GTA 6 in recent years. If this plan is implemented, a portion of the media may have less time to analyze the game before the nomination deadline.
Despite the various speculations, there is no official confirmation that GTA 6 will be excluded from The Game Awards 2026. The awards organization has not yet officially disclosed this year's eligibility period nor communicated whether there will be any exceptions for games released close to the event. If the title does not participate in the 2026 edition, it is expected that the new Rockstar game will become a strong contender in the 2027 ceremony categories, at a time when it will have been widely analyzed by both players and specialized critics.
There is a new rumor suggesting that Grand Theft Auto VI may not be limited to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles for a long time. The speculation suggests that Rockstar Games is developing a version of the title for the Nintendo Switch 2, in direct collaboration with Nintendo.
This information was disclosed by informant Nash Weedle, who claims that the main technical hurdles to adapting the game to the hybrid console's hardware have already been overcome. However, neither Rockstar, nor Nintendo, nor Take-Two has made any official comment on this matter yet.
According to Nash Weedle, Nintendo specialists focused on optimization for the Switch 2 are working side-by-side with Rockstar to adapt GTA 6 to the new equipment. The same insider stated that the studio managed to resolve the technical restrictions that previously prevented the development of the portable version. However, this adaptation is not expected to be ready in 2026, implying a release later than the versions scheduled for November 19th on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It is worth mentioning that the same informant had previously stated at the end of 2025 that a port for the Switch 2 was in the development phase.
The Nintendo Switch 2 incorporates an exclusive NVIDIA chip based on the Ampere architecture and supports technologies such as DLSS. These technologies enable image reconstruction using artificial intelligence to enhance performance. In recent months, several demanding games, such as Resident Evil Requiem and Pragmata, have been announced for the console, which strengthens the hypothesis that next-generation titles can run on the handheld with the necessary optimizations.
Additionally, Rockstar has already adapted GTA 6 for the Xbox Series S, which is a less powerful console of the current generation. This suggests that the game's graphics engine already accounts for different levels of scalability, which could simplify a future adaptation for the Switch 2.
So far, Rockstar has only confirmed GTA 6 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The highly anticipated PC version remains without a release date, following the company's tactic used in previous games, such as GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2, which arrived on computers months after being released on consoles.
If this rumor proves true, the Nintendo Switch 2 could become the third platform to receive the game, giving players a chance to enjoy the adventure of Jason and Lucia also in handheld format.
Despite the great buzz, there is no official confirmation about the development of the Switch 2 version. Until Rockstar or Nintendo announces the project, this information should be considered mere rumors. Nevertheless, the possibility attracts a lot of attention because it represents one of the biggest technical challenges in the industry and has the potential to drastically increase the reach of the most anticipated launch of recent years.
