Grand Theft Auto VI is on the cover of Game Informer’s next issue, and the magazine is going long. Game Informer says its cover story runs 14 pages, built on conversations with several lead designers at Rockstar Games, and it centers on Leonida, the game’s version of Florida, and Vice City, its neon-and-sunburn take on Miami.
The digital edition arrives Tuesday, September 29. Print copies will reach subscribers, bookstores and newsstands in the coming weeks, according to the magazine.
Weather, wildlife and a lot of Florida research
The feature is written by Game Informer’s Marcus Stewart, who the magazine points out is a lifelong South Florida native, which is about as on-brand an assignment as it gets. Game Informer’s reveal lays out three big threads.
First, weather. The story digs into what Game Informer calls “advanced weather systems that simulate Florida’s less sunny weather phenomena.” Anyone who has sat through a Miami afternoon downpour knows that’s not a throwaway detail for a game set in a Florida parody.
Second, animals. The magazine promises a look at “the staggering amount of wildlife – native and otherwise – roaming Leonida on land, air, and sea.” The “and otherwise” is doing some fun work there, given Florida’s real-world reputation for creatures that don’t belong.
Third, research. Stewart’s piece covers how Rockstar went about studying Miami and Florida in pursuit of what Game Informer describes as “the most culturally and aesthetically accurate and lifelike world to date.”
The issue also carries 12 new exclusive screenshots, and the cover itself is original Rockstar artwork of the game’s two leads, Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Game Informer lists it as issue 382, the same number RockstarINTEL reported when it flagged the cover story.
Seven weeks out
The timing is hard to miss. Grand Theft Auto VI is dated for November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, so the digital issue lands roughly seven weeks before launch. If you’re already planning launch night, here’s when GTA 6 unlocks on PS5.
The rest of the issue
GTA VI isn’t the only thing in this one. Game Informer says the issue also includes Gamescom previews, a look at Invoke Studios’ Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons with an interview with Maggie Robertson, Persona 4 Revival, and a 10-page feature on Tides of Annihilation. Mike Drucker writes about what makes a “good” bad game, and there’s an interview with Finn Wolfhard.
Previews include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, Metroid Ravenous, State of Decay 3, Mega Man: Dual Override, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Final Fantasy VII Revelation. The review section runs through Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Marvel’s Wolverine, Star Wars Zero Company, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter and Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy.
Game Informer says the issue is only available for a limited time. A subscription covers 10 issues a year and is now offered in the US and more than 50 countries.
