Grand Theft Auto 5 release date expected in fall 2012

14 April 2008

Posted by:Ferry

Grand Theft Auto 5 PS3 fake boxart The latest edition of Gametrailers’ Bonus Round discussed Grand Theft Auto 4, its Xbox 360-exclusive expansions, and Grand Theft Auto 5′s release date. You can watch the episode below.

To quote investment banker Wedbush Morgan Securities’ game industry analysts Michael Pachter: “I actually think they already have a story in mind. GTA5 is already in the planning stage and my guess is you’ll see [the next GTA] in two and a half years. In fall of 2010, there’ll be Grand Theft Auto 5.”

Below we show you a timeline that leads to the expected release date of Fall 2012.

This video shows clues that point to GTA 5 taking place in San Andreas or France.

This Grand Theft Auto Bonus Round episode discusses whether or not the release of GTA 4 on April 29th, 2008, was the fall of GTA as a series. Or if Rockstar will reach new heights with it or future games.

Picture courtesy of VGboxart, quotes via Gametrailers, video by finalfantasy9ix.

January 2009 update: After rumors circulating on the internet, Rockstar confirmed that there would be no GTA5 in 2009. While most companies don’t respond to rumors, Rockstar probably thought it would damage sales of their two upcoming GTA4 downloadable episodes (the 1st in February, the 2nd in October), which they are still working on. As a result 2010 is looking more logical for GTA5.

September 2009 update: During GTA publisher Take-Two’s Q3 2009 earnings call, chairman Strauss Zelnick denied GTA5 by — ironically — talking about GTA5. To quote: “We’re not going to announce it. We’re not going to announce when we’re going to announce it. And we’re not going to announce the strategy about announcing it or about when we’re going to announce it either, or about the announcement strategy surrounding the announcement of the strategy. Any other questions?”

Piper Jaffray’s Anthony Gikas weighs in on the release date and thinks GTA5 will be out sometime between November 2010 – October 2011. To quote: “Our confidence in the company’s profitability profile is improving as product flow for FY 2010 is greatly improved and Grand Theft Auto V is expected in FY ‘11.”

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter claimed: “While we still expect a GTA game in calendar 2010, it is not clear that the game will be released before the end of Take-Two’s fiscal year ending October 31, 2010.”

Grand Theft Auto 5 location hint October 2009 update: On page 17 of Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City’s game manual, Rockstar gives a teaser where the next GTA game might be. Up until now it was most likely Grand Theft Auto V: Vice City. Which is a guess, because at the end of Grand Theft Auto IV, Niko’s plane ticket says “Vice City”. And this teaser image (scan shown below) — which also appears on a billboard near Star Junction, next to Liberty City’s Seagull — says “Liberty City, It’s Over! Next Stop. Theatre Seagull” with a hint we’ll find out more in March 2010. Meaning the new “Theatre Seagull” location could be opening up anywhere that has the mountains and beaches shown in that location depiction; Any place from England, France, San Andreas to Seattle and beyond. Where do you want to see the next GTA take place?

November 2009 update: GTA series producer/writer/voice artist Dan Houser had an interview with The Times London newspaper about the next GTA game. To quote the article: “There’s a Western game in the works for next spring, and the next GTA to think of. ‘We’ll think of a city first, then the characters,’ says Houser. The script he will end up co-writing will run to around 1,000 pages, nearly ten times as much as a feature film.”

December 2010 update: Clearly a quick turnaround analysts promised us for the next GTA game didn’t happen. Instead a Fall 2011 release for GTA5 is much more likely. In the end, an extra year of development will make sure the game will be higher quality and more fun to play.

April 2011 update: The latest rumors see Grand Theft Auto 5 coming to Wii 2 alongside Xbox 360 and PS3 in fall 2012. Since that’s when the Wii 2 is said to launch, the story here being that GTA5 would be a launch game.

PS: Here’s a funny parody of Grand Theft Auto featuring some lost plumbers.

October 2011 update: Rockstar Games has officially confirmed Grand Theft Auto 5 on October 25th. They are promising us the first “Grand Theft Auto Five” trailer will be shown on rockstargames.com on November 2nd, 2011.

Here’s the teaser image from their homepage confirming the game announcement!

November 2 update: Watch the first trailer here and read our Grand Theft Auto 5 Reveal Trailer analysis.

Release Date Hint from Rockstar?: One of our readers Anders_L points out that in the trailer scene where the person is nailing a “For Sale” sign into the ground, if you look at the curbed number sign to your lower right, it says: “2405″ — a possible release date of 2012-24-05 or May 24th, 2012?

Tags: Grand Theft Auto 5, Grand Theft Auto V

Categories: Features, Interviews, News, PC News, PS3 News, Videos, Wii U News, Xbox 360 News

DemonDelight

Ok everyone, you can stop freaking out about the next GTA being in France (lol). Gta is an American based series with American based cities and storylines. Apart from the London 1969 expansion, every city is based within the US. With the way the series has gone, you would expect the next Gta to take place in a moddified Vice city. That idea is very plausible and seems to be the most realistic answer. IMO, I think Rockstar created Episodes of Liberty dlc to give a taste of San Andreas and vice, which will be thier next 2 games. My hopes are that SA would make better use of the blueray disc, with expanded cities and maybe dlc city expansions.
mcjakeqcool

@MR.WILEY
That would be awsome! You could have 1 blue skin, 1 purple skin, 1 yellow skin and 1 orange skin like in the Tweenies.
Greek_Mafia

I think that they are going to keep Niko Bellic as the 1st character. He has been a great success and I think he can be the basic figure of this new campaign of GTA 5 , getting into some new ”jobs”, moving into another city in US or probably in Europe (where he comes from).I am not sure about those ideas but the only thing I know is that Rockstar people have a lot on their mind…
darkie

i think they should make a grand theft auto where you get to do any thing and like spend time in jail and thet trying to survive then come out and be a triads or yukuza boss that would be cool as
Dark Fox

That’d be cool to see a new GTA in Vice City. I personally enjoyed the game more than any other for its beautiful look. But also San Andreas was a great one. All the country and landscapes made it one of the best, if not the best in the series. Whatever it’ll be, I’m sure Rockstar will make a cool one. Or I really hope so.

Also, the clues in the video are pretty interesting. Especially the part with Liberty City is over.
GTA king

i think the next game u should start in iland as packie macwiry nd dat could explaine y ur saw him getting on a plane in the episods from liberty city credits. nd his brother could av been relist from prison or escaped nd be a charicter nd the story could take him thourgh other citys like london liberty city san andras vice city capital city boston but if they dont i bet wat ever they do is gr8
Jordan-England.

i am english but it has to be set in america because then it has more pottential to be over the top. it would be nice to see it set in the past with a story to the city. like vice city in the 80′s was obviously about a scarface related script and trying to achieve the american dream. the time, city and character should have a meaning just like that of something signifficant that has happend somewhwere in the past people can relate to.maybe a 1950′s/60′s san andreas (L.A) that includes the start of the hollywood movie industy and a nearby las vegas (las venturas) at it’s peak along with an operateing alcatraz in the san francissco(san fierro). it could also include the corrupt fbi and cia of the time for example JFK, the mob that used to run the street’s of vegas and the convict ridden san francissco. Just and idea.
mark

it HAS TO BE SAN ANDREAS!!!
http://maebrussell.com Steven

I don’t mean to insult any Europeans{and Francophiles} here{really}, but I would be EXTREMELY disappointed if they end up setting this whole thing in France{didn’t Driver 3 do that already anyway?}………sorry folks, but I can’t think of anywhere outside of the Americas{or the U.K. and Australia, I guess}, where any game in this series was meant to take place……….but at least if Rockstar HAS to set it outside the Americas, they could at least do something interesting like Sydney or Tokyo, or heck, even giving London another try would be alright.

Sorry about the rant………….can’t wait to see what Rockstar decides, though.
Tony

I reckon they should do another london one and set it in the gritty east end. Something else that i reckon will be good is being able to hire henchmen of different capabilities and drivers, be able to buy and store cars that will always be there(garaged) once bought. Also being able to change the appearance of the main character to make it more personal. CS gas, nun chucks and swords/daggars as weapons and make it a bit more graphic and gory. Also when running people over it should be more detailed like blood slurts and squashed/flattened bodies. They gotta do another london, give us something new ROCKSTAR!