GTA 6 TRAILER 2 SHATTERS GLOBAL VIEWERSHIP RECORDS
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In an unprecedented display of gaming industry dominance, the second trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI has demolished viewing records across all digital platforms, cementing its position as the most anticipated video game in development.
RECORD-BREAKING NUMBERS ECLIPSE ENTERTAINMENT GIANTS
The second GTA 6 trailer has accumulated a staggering 475 million views across various platforms within its first 24 hours of release, Rockstar Games confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. This extraordinary achievement shattered the previous record held by Marvel’s first Deadpool and Wolverine trailer, which generated 365 million views in the same timeframe.
This performance makes it not only the most watched trailer in a 24-hour period but also what industry analysts are calling the “biggest video launch ever.”
Platform-specific numbers reveal the trailer’s massive reach across digital ecosystems:
- Rockstar’s YouTube channel alone accounted for over 81 million views
- Their Instagram post contributed more than 60 million views
- X (formerly Twitter) generated approximately 78.7 million views
LIGHTNING-FAST ENGAGEMENT METRICS
The speed at which the trailer reached these milestones is particularly noteworthy. Within just two hours of going live on May 6, it had already accumulated 9.2 million views on YouTube and surpassed 2 million likes. Even more impressively, it reached 1 million likes in under 40 minutes, making it the fastest gaming video ever to achieve this benchmark.
After just four hours, these numbers had escalated to 19 million views, 3 million likes, and 312,000 comments.
COMPARISON TO THE FIRST TRAILER
While the second trailer’s performance is extraordinary, it’s worth comparing it with the first GTA 6 trailer released in December 2023, which generated 93 million views in its first 24 hours. However, the first trailer was initially exclusive to YouTube before being released on other platforms, making this multi-platform launch strategy even more effective.
On YouTube specifically, the second trailer received approximately 69-70 million views and 4.7 million likes in its first day, with more than 416,000 comments.
CULTURAL IMPACT BEYOND VIEWERSHIP
The trailer’s cultural footprint extends beyond mere viewership statistics. Spotify revealed that “Hot Together” by The Pointer Sisters, the song featured in the trailer, experienced an astonishing 180,000% increase in streams after the trailer’s release.
“Grand Theft Auto cuts through popular culture like almost nothing else,” said Sulinna Ong, Spotify’s global head of editorial. “Music has been synonymous with the series since the very beginning, so it’s great to see fans both new and established connecting with an iconic track in this way.”
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS FUEL SPECULATION
After some viewers expressed skepticism that the footage could have been captured on a standard PS5, Rockstar issued a statement confirming that the trailer was indeed “captured entirely in-game from a PlayStation 5” and comprised of “equal parts gameplay and cutscenes.”
This impressive visual fidelity prompted comments like “Literally the best graphics I’ve ever seen” and “How on earth was this captured on PS5?!!!”
KEY DETAILS REVEALED IN THE TRAILER
The second trailer provided fans with a deeper look at the game’s protagonists, Jason and Lucia, confirming the Bonnie and Clyde-inspired criminal couple relationship hinted at in the first trailer. The trailer begins with Jason performing odd jobs before picking up Lucia from prison, setting up their journey together.
Several key locations were showcased, including Vice City, Leonida Keys, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia, Grassrivers, and Mount Kalaga National Park, suggesting a massive game world for players to explore. The trailer also revealed potential gameplay elements such as fishing, kayaking, and even a basketball minigame.
DELAY ANNOUNCEMENT DOESN’T DAMPEN ENTHUSIASM
Just days before the trailer’s release, Rockstar Games announced that GTA 6 would be delayed from its planned fall 2025 launch to May 26, 2026. In a post on X dated May 3, 2025, the company apologized for the delay but emphasized their need for additional time “to deliver the quality you expect and rightfully deserve.”
The announcement impacted Take-Two Interactive’s stock, which dropped nearly 7% following the news. Despite this setback, Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed support for Rockstar’s decision.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR GTA 6
With the game now officially scheduled for May 2026, fans will have a full year to analyze every frame of this record-breaking trailer. Industry analysts expect Rockstar to release a third trailer closer to launch, potentially revealing more gameplay mechanics and character details.
For now, this extraordinary trailer performance demonstrates the unprecedented level of anticipation surrounding what will likely be one of the most significant entertainment releases of the generation.
