Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer breaks record for most YouTube views in 24 hours
The new Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer video has set a record for most YouTube views in 24 hours after racking up nearly 100 million views.
The ranking, which excludes music videos, beats the previous top winner, which was a video by popular YouTuber MrBeast.
Once music videos are included, the ranking is held by K-pop sensation BTS for the music video for the song Butter, which was viewed 108 million times in one day.
Video game publisher Rockstar had been set to reveal the first trailer for the game later on Tuesday, but published it late on Monday night after it was leaked online.
The firm said: “Our trailer has leaked so please watch the real thing on YouTube”, alongside the 90-second first trailer for the game, which confirmed the game will be released some time in 2025.
The last game in the franchise, Grand Theft Auto V, was released more than 10 years ago, in September 2013. It remains the second-best-selling video game of all time, falling short only of Minecraft.
The much-anticipated game will see players return to the Miami-inspired location of Vice City, and will include its first female protagonist, Lucia, alongside an as-yet unnamed male lead character.
The trailer shows the beaches, waterways and central areas of Vice City, as well as surrounding swamps, suggesting players will have vast areas to explore.
Rockstar said Grand Theft Auto VI will be the biggest and most immersive game in the series yet, with some reports suggesting that around one billion dollars has been spent on its development.
The firm’s founder, Sam Houser, said: “Grand Theft Auto VI continues our efforts to push the limits of what’s possible in highly immersive, story-driven, open-world experiences.
“We’re thrilled to be able to share this new vision with players everywhere.”