Grand Theft Auto 6 Officially Smashes YouTube Record With Most-Viewed Trailer Launch to Date

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YouTube announced that the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI reached the “extraordinary milestone” of generating more than 93 million views in the initial 24-hour period on the Rockstar Games YouTube channel — shattering the previous record for a non-music video debut on the platform.

Rockstar Games released GTA VI’s first trailer on Monday, Dec. 4, after it first leaked online. The much-hyped and hotly anticipated title is slated to be released sometime in 2025, more than a decade after GTA V came out.

The first GTA VI trailer beat the previous viewership record-holder for a non-music video on YouTube, which was set by Mr. Beast’s “Every Country On Earth Fights for $250,000,” posted in Aug. 19, 2023, which hit 59.4 million views in 24 hours.

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Within the first 72 hours, the GTA VI trailer had racked up more than 120 million views. Since the trailer debut, YouTube creators and gaming community have generated over 250 million views of Grand Theft Auto VI content, according to the video platform.

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Grand Theft Auto VI stars Lucia, the franchise’s first female protagonist, and takes place in the Miami-inspired Vice City (which was the setting for 2002’s Grand Theft Auto entry). Lucia is the main character alongside an unnamed male lead.

In addition to hallmarks of the crime-and-mayhem franchise — fast cars, boats, beaches, bikinis and bayous — the 90-second GTA VI trailer reveals the introduction of a Twitter-like social media network with videos of people partying on boats, a man pulling an alligator out of a pool and a woman twerking on top of a moving car.

“The Grand Theft Auto series has been at the epicenter of entertainment for decades and we expect the YouTube community and its creators to reach new heights for years to come with Grand Theft Auto VI,” said Leo Olebe, global head of YouTube Gaming. “Setting this new all-time record is a testament to the cultural impact of the series and demonstrates why YouTube is the leading destination for gaming content and pop culture.”

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