New Delhi: Rockstar Games‘ highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) is set to become the cover story of the upcoming issue of Game Informer, with the magazine promising new details, exclusive interviews and previously unseen screenshots of the game.

The 14-page feature will focus on how Rockstar Games created Leonida, the fictional US state that includes Vice City, and the studio’s efforts to recreate the culture, environment and visual character of Florida. The digital edition is scheduled to be released on September 29, while physical copies will reach subscribers and selected retailers in the following weeks.

Game Informer announces GTA 6 cover story

Game Informer announced on September 25 that GTA 6 would feature on the cover of its next issue. Senior associate editor Marcus Stewart interviewed several lead designers at Rockstar Games for the 14-page story.

The magazine said the feature will explore the development of Vice City and Leonida, including Rockstar’s approach to building what it describes as a highly detailed representation of Florida.

The issue will also contain 12 previously unseen screenshots. Rockstar has reportedly created a custom cover for the magazine, adding to the significance of the issue for fans waiting for more information about the game before its scheduled release.

The announcement is particularly notable because Rockstar has historically used major gaming publications to reveal information about its Grand Theft Auto titles.

Advanced weather systems among new details

One of the most notable subjects mentioned in the cover story is GTA 6’s weather system.

According to the information released ahead of the full article, Rockstar has developed advanced weather systems designed to simulate Florida’s varied weather conditions. The magazine specifically highlighted systems intended to represent some of the state’s less sunny weather phenomena.

The announcement does not yet provide a complete explanation of how these weather systems will work during gameplay. Details about the frequency, impact or possible interaction between weather events and missions are expected to become clearer when the full Game Informer story is published.

The weather system has been the subject of considerable speculation among GTA fans, but the Game Informer announcement provides one of the clearer indications that Rockstar has invested significant development effort in environmental simulation.

Wildlife will play a major role in Leonida

The cover story will also examine the large variety of wildlife present throughout Leonida.

Game Informer described the amount of wildlife in the game as “staggering”, with animals expected to inhabit different environments across land, air and sea. The report notes that the game will feature both native and non-native species.

This suggests that Rockstar is continuing the environmental-detail approach seen in Red Dead Redemption 2 and previous GTA games, while adapting it to the tropical and coastal setting of Vice City and the wider Leonida region.

However, the full range of animals and the extent to which wildlife interacts with players has not yet been disclosed.

Rockstar researched Miami and Florida

Another major focus of the feature is Rockstar’s research into Florida and Miami.

The studio has reportedly used real-world research to help recreate the region’s culture, architecture, landscapes and atmosphere. Game Informer said Rockstar discussed its efforts to make Leonida culturally and aesthetically accurate while retaining the satirical approach associated with the Grand Theft Auto series.

Vice City previously appeared in the 2002 game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. GTA 6 returns to the fictional city but expands the setting considerably by placing it within the wider state of Leonida.

The new game is expected to include beaches, urban areas, rural environments, waterways and other locations inspired by Florida.

12 new screenshots promised

The upcoming issue will contain 12 new screenshots from GTA 6.

The images are expected to provide additional glimpses of the game’s characters, locations and environments ahead of launch. The magazine has also confirmed that the cover artwork was specially created by Rockstar for the issue.

For fans, the screenshots could offer additional visual information about Leonida, although the magazine’s announcement has not disclosed what specific scenes or locations they will show.

The full 14-page article is expected to provide considerably more context than the screenshots alone.

GTA 6 release date remains November 19

The Game Informer announcement does not indicate any change to GTA 6’s current release schedule.

Rockstar has set November 19, 2026, as the release date for the game on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Game Informer digital issue will therefore arrive around seven weeks before the scheduled launch.

The magazine announcement also does not confirm a PC release date or provide new information about GTA 6’s online multiplayer component.

Those areas remain separate from the details revealed about the Game Informer cover story.

When can fans read the full story?

The digital edition of the new Game Informer issue will be available to subscribers on September 29.

Physical copies will subsequently reach subscribers and appear at bookstores and newsstands in the coming weeks. The magazine has indicated that the GTA 6 issue will be available for a limited period.

The issue is also notable for Game Informer itself. After the magazine was shut down by GameStop in 2024, it returned as an independent publication in 2025. The GTA 6 cover therefore represents one of the biggest gaming features for the revived publication.

For GTA fans, the upcoming issue is expected to provide a closer look at how Rockstar built Leonida, its weather systems and its wildlife, while offering new screenshots and comments from the developers involved in creating the game.