For fans desperately waiting for any sign that Rockstar Games' massive marketing campaign is finally beginning, the images of Grand Theft Auto 6 being advertised in one of the busiest places in the world seemed like the moment they'd been anticipating. Except there's just one problem: the footage isn't new, and it doesn't represent what people think it does.
While the photos and video that you may have already seen are real and not AI-generated, they aren’t new.
The billboard in question actually appeared back in May, right around the same time that GTA 6 was delayed to May 2026. This wasn't Rockstar launching a major marketing push or taking over Times Square with massive promotional displays. Instead, it was part of a YouTube Gaming promotion that happened to include GTA 6, particularly when the second trailer came out.
The confusion stems from old footage resurfacing and being shared as if it represents current developments. When that content gets picked up and spread across Twitter, Reddit, gaming forums, and news aggregators, it creates the impression that something significant just happened. When, in fact, everyone is just making much ado about nothing significant.
The reality is that GTA 6 generates such intense interest that even months-old content can go viral again when rediscovered or deliberately reshared by accounts looking for engagement.
To be fair, this isn’t new when it comes to GTA 6. Previously everyone kept talking about the release of the second trailer happening around this time last year, thanks to this particularly interesting theory.
This clarification matters because it affects expectations about where _GTA 6'_s marketing campaign actually stands. Rockstar and parent company Take-Two Interactive are well known for deliberate, controlled promotional approaches. Indeed, Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has gone on record to confirm that they’re going with a more focused window of high-impact advertising closer to May 2026 for GTA 6.
So, when that genuine campaign begins, it won't be subtle or ambiguous. The scale and coordination will make it immediately obvious that Rockstar is pushing hard toward launch. Multiple billboards will appear simultaneously in key markets. Television spots will run during prime programming. Digital advertising will blanket gaming websites and social media platforms. Other companies will start copying what Rockstar is doing, again, and again, and again.
TLDR; the actual campaign will come when Rockstar decides the timing is right, likely within a few months of GTA 6’s release date.
