GTA 6 may still be the most anticipated title in modern gaming, but according to Google’s newly released 2025 search trends, the intense excitement surrounding Rockstar’s next blockbuster is showing visible cracks. For the first time in years, the franchise has slipped down the cultural rankings, landing at seventh place in a list dominated by a surprising mix of established giants and bold newcomers. For a series known for eclipsing everything around it, this shift marks a moment worth paying attention to.
A Year Defined by Delays, Disappointment, and Uncertainty
Throughout 2025, discussion around Grand Theft Auto VI has been nearly impossible to escape. Yet the tone has gradually shifted from feverish enthusiasm to something more complicated. Fans have endured shifting release targets, mounting speculation, internal controversies, and—perhaps most frustrating long stretches of silence from Rockstar Games. When the studio confirmed a new release date of 19 November 2026, after previously targeting Fall 2025 and even May 2026, many long-time followers admitted they were simply tired.
That fatigue is now reflected in hard data. In Google’s annual breakdown of the most-searched video games, GTA 6 ranked seventh unexpectedly low for a title that has dominated conversation for years.
Google’s Top Trending Games of 2025
The full list, which compiles the year’s most-searched titles worldwide, reads:
- 10. Roblox
- 9. Minecraft
- 8. Pokémon Legends: Z-A
- 7. Grand Theft Auto VI
- 6. Path of Exile 2
- 5. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- 4. Split Fiction
- 3. Strands
- 2. Battlefield 6
- 1. ARC Raiders
Some of the titles on the list are unsurprising. Roblox and Minecraft remain cultural institutions, seemingly immune to aging. Others like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and ARC Raiders—earned their positions through breakout success and major marketing pushes. But GTA 6’s relatively low placement stands out, especially considering it is the only game listed that has not yet been released.
Has GTA 6 Fatigue Truly Set In?
After more than a decade of anticipation, fans may be experiencing something that was once unthinkable: exhaustion. The hype cycle, endlessly stretched, has created a paradox. GTA 6 is still the most talked-about unreleased title on the planet, yet repetitive speculation, delays, and sparse communication from Rockstar have gradually worn down the community.
Many players no longer feel the spike of excitement they once did each time new information surfaces. Instead, reactions often oscillate between skepticism and resignation. For a franchise accustomed to igniting global enthusiasm, this shift is significant.
A Franchise More Influential Than Its Hype Cycles
Even with the fatigue, GTA 6 still maintains cultural dominance. Its trailers routinely break industry records, and discussions around the game trend instantly on social platforms. But a ranking like this highlights the emotional temperature of the player base. They are not indifferent they are weary.
The long wait has reshaped expectations. Some fans joke that they will be retired by the time the game launches. Others simply choose not to believe new release dates until the game is physically in their hands. When a franchise produces memes about its own delays, the public mood is clear.
Why Other Games Surged Ahead
The titles ranking above GTA 6 offer insight into shifting interests within the gaming community. Battlefield 6 arrived with bold changes to the franchise’s identity. Strands captivated players with an unexpected puzzle-driven twist. And ARC Raiders dominated late-year conversations thanks to a dramatic reinvention during development.
These games benefitted from availability players could actually play them, discuss their mechanics, share clips, and experience their worlds. By contrast, GTA 6 remains an ideal rather than a product, suspended in the limbo between promise and reality.
Will GTA 6 Reclaim the Spotlight?
Almost certainly. When Rockstar finally releases new gameplay footage or a third trailer, expect searches to spike and social media to erupt. Few studios command global attention the way Rockstar does. And despite fatigue, the core audience has not disappeared they are simply conserving their energy for the moment the studio gives them something concrete.
But the seventh-place finish is a warning signal. The era of endless hype without payoff has its limits. Players want clarity, confidence, and momentum, not shifting timelines.
A Lingering Hope for 2026
If Rockstar meets its November 2026 target, the industry will likely reset around GTA 6’s launch. Until then, the game occupies a strange position: still iconic, still desired, yet increasingly weighed down by the gravity of its own delays.
For now, fans wait quietly, impatiently, and with a level of fatigue that Google’s rankings have now made undeniable.