Game Informer's Grand Theft Auto VI issue is out. Confirmed The digital edition of issue 382 unlocked for subscribers on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Print copies go out to subscribers and reach bookstores and newsstands over the following weeks, in the US and in more than 50 other countries.
It's the biggest block of new GTA 6 material since the Netflix Extended Look on August 27, and it's focused on the game's world rather than its story. Below is everything that has been confirmed about it so far. We'll add the new details from inside the feature as soon as they're reported, each labelled by how reliable it is.
Who wrote it, and what it's about
The 14-page cover story is by Marcus Stewart, a senior associate editor at Game Informer and a lifelong South Florida native. He spoke with several lead designers at Rockstar Games, with a particular focus on how the studio brought Leonida, its Florida parody, to life.
Stewart has said he brings his own "homegrown perspective" to the piece. His pitch to readers is simple: if you want to know how "Florida" GTA 6 is trying to be, this is the story.
1. Weather built for Florida, not postcards
The headline reveal is GTA 6's advanced weather system. Confirmed Game Informer says Rockstar built it to simulate Florida's less sunny weather, which Rockstar hasn't talked about before in any preview or interview.
Anyone who has lived in South Florida knows what that means: sudden afternoon downpours, heavy grey skies, humid haze and tropical storms. Trailers have shown both bright sunshine and heavy rain, but Rockstar had never explained how weather works in the game.
What we still don't know: whether weather changes from region to region, whether it affects driving, police or missions, and whether hurricanes are in the game. Rumor / leak Hurricanes have been a popular fan theory for years, but nothing Rockstar or Game Informer has said so far confirms them.
2. A "staggering" amount of wildlife
The second topic is Leonida's animals. Confirmed Game Informer describes a staggering amount of wildlife on land, in the air and in the water, and says it includes species that aren't native to Florida.
That last part is very Florida. The real state is famous for invasive species that took over after arriving as pets or stowaways, like Burmese pythons in the Everglades and green iguanas in Miami. Whether Rockstar has put those exact animals in the game hasn't been confirmed, but it would fit the satire.
Here's what was already known from the previews and trailers:
- Grassrivers (the Everglades) has alligators and flamingos, with airboats to get around.
- Mount Kalaga National Park in the north has deer, foxes and cougars, and is set up for hunting and exploring.
- Previews mentioned a wildlife checklist, diving and underwater exploration, and a zoo.
See where each region sits in our Leonida map guide.
3. How Rockstar researched Miami
The third focus is research. Confirmed Rockstar discusses how it studied Miami and the rest of Florida so Leonida would be its most culturally and visually accurate world yet. Having a Miami native ask the questions is the interesting angle here, since he can say what Rockstar got right.
For a place-by-place comparison of the game's Vice City with the real city, see Vice City vs Miami on our sister site.
The 12 new screenshots
Twelve new screenshots come with the feature, showing more of Leonida's sights and the people who live there. Confirmed They're exclusive to Game Informer, so the issue is the place to see them. Rockstar's last official batch of screenshots went up on its website on September 1.
Our policy: we don't copy magazine pages or exclusive images onto LeonidaNews. We'll describe what the screenshots show once they're widely covered, and link to official sources.
The cover
The cover is original artwork from Rockstar showing Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos together in a car, armed, in the same painted style as the rest of the campaign. You can see it on Game Informer's cover reveal page.
Fans have identified the car as a 1967 Vapid Dominator. Rumor / leak That's a community reading of the artwork. Rockstar hasn't named the car or said anything about its role in the game.
Confirmed vs. still unknown
| Topic | Confirmed | Still unknown |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | Advanced system built around Florida's stormier weather | Hurricanes, regional weather, effect on gameplay |
| Wildlife | Large numbers on land, air and sea, including non-native species | Which species, and what you can do with them |
| Research | Rockstar explains how it studied Miami and Florida | Which real places and events inspired what |
| Screenshots | 12 new, exclusive to the issue | Which locations they show |
| Release date | Still November 19, 2026 | — |
A Game Informer tradition
Game Informer has now put every modern mainline GTA on its cover. The gap between the last two is the longest yet.
- May 2007Grand Theft Auto IV fronts issue 169.
- December 2012Grand Theft Auto V fronts issue 236, five and a half years later.
- September 2026Grand Theft Auto VI fronts issue 382, almost 14 years after that.
How to read it
- Digital: through the Game Informer app with a digital subscription, about $65 a year.
- Print and digital: about $99 a year for 10 issues, delivered in the US and in more than 50 other countries.
- Single copies: Game Informer's site only sells subscriptions, but print copies will be on sale in bookstores and on newsstands in the coming weeks. Game Informer says the GTA 6 issue is only available for a limited time.
The rest of issue 382 includes Gamescom previews, a Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons interview, Persona 4 Revival impressions and a 10-page Tides of Annihilation feature.
What it doesn't include
This is a magazine preview, not a new trailer. There's no change to the release date, which stays November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and no new pricing or edition news.
Questions about the Game Informer issue
When did Game Informer's GTA 6 issue come out?
The digital edition of Game Informer issue 382 unlocked for subscribers on September 29, 2026. Print copies reach subscribers, bookstores and newsstands over the following weeks.
How can I read the GTA 6 Game Informer cover story?
Through a Game Informer subscription. A digital subscription (about $65 a year) gives access through the Game Informer app, and a print plus digital subscription costs about $99 a year. Game Informer's own site doesn't sell the issue on its own, but print copies will be sold in stores.
Where can I see the 12 new GTA 6 screenshots?
Inside the issue itself. The screenshots are exclusive to Game Informer, so the magazine is the place to see them. The cover art is shown on Game Informer's cover reveal page.
What does the Game Informer GTA 6 story cover?
Leonida's advanced weather systems, the wildlife living on land, in the air and in the water, and how Rockstar researched Miami and Florida. It includes quotes from several Rockstar lead designers.
Does the Game Informer issue change the GTA 6 release date?
No. GTA 6 still launches on November 19, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with pre-loading from November 12.