On Tuesday, video game publisher Rockstar Games dropped the much-anticipated second trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV.
The trailer, posted to Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel, shows game co-leads Jason and Lucia reuniting as he picks her up from prison.
Presumably, the game follows the paired protagonists as they reassess and rebuild their lives post-penitentiary. However, no plot details are revealed beyond Rockstar’s brief description and viewers’ inferences.
Rockstar’s logline reads, “Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.”
The trailer is just under 3 minutes long, but chock-full of cinematic scenes, classic 80s rock, established Vice City locales (glad to have you back, Ammu-Nation!), recognizable voices, and more.
We also get a brief look at some other colorful characters, including a seedy older fella, Brian Heder, voiced by the beloved and talented Stephen Root (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Office Space).
Admittedly, the character, who Rockstar describes as a “classic drug runner from the golden age of smuggling,” resembles classic Root characters Bill Dauterive (King of the Hill) and Monroe Fuches (Barry).
The vid’s short run time might bum out fans tired of waiting (me), but we can tide ourselves over by adding Trailer 2’s featured tune to our playlists.
The nearly 30-year-old franchise takes track curation pretty seriously; Rockstar’s record-breaking Trailer 1 featured Tom Petty’s 1989 song “Love Is A Long Road,” its inclusion propelling the decades-old track to new heights.
Not too long after the first trailer’s release, music streaming platform Spotify said “Love Is A Long Road” plays spiked 36,979% compared to the week prior.
After its release, Petty’s team even took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise Rockstar and Grand Theft Auto. “Tom loved contributing ‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’ to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, so it is an honor to have ‘Love Is A Long Road’ featured in Trailer 1 for Grand Theft Auto VI from @RockstarGames. #PettyForever”
This time around, audiences are treated to the 1986 pop track “Hot Together” by The Pointer Sisters.
The upbeat synth evokes the dreamy ’80s feel gamers have come to expect from the franchise, and will likely see a spike in streams in the coming days.
The RPG‘s massive, dedicated, and vocal fan base can rest a little easier tonight, but the agonizing and now-extended wait is making some gamers antsy.
The new trailer comes just four days after the Take-Two subsidiary delayed the game’s release until May 26, 2026. Still, the three-minute spot’s energetic synth and vibrant visuals might have the power to reinvigorate and placate all eager Bonnies and Clydes waiting in the wings.
Grand Theft Auto V, the last franchise entry, was released over a decade ago and sold more than 210 million copies as of February 2025.
Catch Grand Theft Auto VI when it hits retailers next year.
Follow us on MSN for more content you love.
Read more:
A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
Leave a Reply