There may not be a bigger entertainment release on the horizon right now than Grand Theft Auto VI. Rockstar Games’ next title in the franchise has reached a level of anticipation rarely seen in gaming, and is officially scheduled to launch on November 19, a date already known for some time.
At the same time, speculation around Trailer 3 and just now the leaked pre-order windows has once again sent the internet into overdrive. But while most of the conversation is about Vice City, characters, and the scale of the open world, there is a smaller, more niche question:
Will GTA VI have poker?
It may sound like a small detail in a game expected to redefine open-world gaming, but Rockstar has a surprisingly strong history with card games, casinos, and gambling mechanics. Poker, in particular, has quietly become one of the most memorable side activities across several Rockstar titles over the years.
The best example came in Red Dead Redemption 2.
The critically acclaimed western featured playable Texas Hold’em games throughout its open world, giving players the chance to sit down in saloons and grind cards across the frontier. Poker quickly became one of the game’s most popular side activities, with players spending countless hours at the tables after release.
Even poker media took notice. PokerNews published detailed coverage explaining how poker worked inside Red Dead Redemption 2, including strategy advice and breakdowns of the game’s mechanics.
PokerStrategy also weighed in on poker in video games such as Red Dead Redemption and GTA, even joking in an April Fools’ piece about GTA 6 potentially featuring real money online poker. Gaming outlets, meanwhile, regularly highlighted poker as one of the standout mini-games in Rockstar’s world.
Rockstar has experimented with gambling mechanics long before Red Dead Redemption 2 as well. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas included casino games ranging from blackjack and roulette to video poker, while GTA V Online later expanded heavily into casino-themed gameplay through the Diamond Casino & Resort update.
That history is why the possibility of poker appearing in GTA VI does not feel unrealistic. In fact, Rockstar Games sits under Take-Two Interactive, the same parent company that also owns Zynga Poker, which adds an interesting layer for poker players watching GTA VI’s development closely.
Record-Breaking GTA VI Hype
GTA VI has reportedly been in development for nearly a decade, with estimates placing its budget between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, making it the most expensive video game ever produced. Its predecessor, GTA V, still holds multiple Guinness World Records, including the highest revenue generated and the fastest entertainment product to reach $1 billion. Despite launching in 2013, it continues to maintain a massive active player base even today.
Unsurprisingly, expectations for GTA VI are on another level entirely. The game was officially revealed in December 2023, and its first trailer shattered YouTube records with more than 93 million views in just 24 hours, becoming the most-watched non-music video debut at the time. Trailer 2 pushed even further, crossing 475 million views across platforms within its first day, with Rockstar describing it as its biggest video launch ever.
Together, the first two trailers have already generated close to half a billion views, underlining just how massive GTA VI has become long before release day.
Many now expect Trailer 3 to become one of the biggest video launches in recent YouTube history once again. Now, with reports of leaked pre-order windows between May 18 and May 21, speculation has shifted again toward a possible Trailer 3 reveal.
Nothing is confirmed by Rockstar, but the timing has been enough to keep the community guessing. Reddit discussions around the leak have exploded over the past 24 hours, with fans already predicting that Trailer 3 could arrive before pre-orders open.
The speculation makes sense. Take-Two Interactive’s earnings call is scheduled for May 21, and many in the gaming community believe Rockstar could use a new trailer and pre-order announcement to dominate headlines heading into the presentation.
So as anticipation builds around Trailer 3 and the next phase of GTA VI marketing, poker players will be watching just as closely as everyone else, not just for the chaos of Vice City, but for a quiet table in the corner where the cards might still be in play.
