GTA 6 map surfaces in GTA Online in first instance of Rockstar's 'creative' marketing

We’re firmly back in Grand Theft Auto VI’s danger zone; in other words, a new update could drop any day now.

Take-Two Interactive’s CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed that the game’s marketing would kick off in the summer and, well, it’s summer - at least in the northern hemisphere.

As such, fans are expecting trailer three to drop, conjuring up new theories on a daily basis until one of them proves to be right.

Zelnick specifically said that we should expect a “creative” marketing campaign.

“Rest assured: I believe you will be quite amazed at the creative ideas Rockstar will present to consumers in the coming months,” he previously told Indy100.

Well, Grand Theft Auto fans now think they’ve spotted one of those “creative ideas” as GTA VI’s map may have been revealed in GTA Online.

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Take-Two’s “creative” tease may have been referring to this GTA Online in-game artwork

It’s probably not the first time you’ve heard that.

GTA Online players are always finding weird shapes and convincing themselves it’s GTA VI’s map. This instance does feel a tad different though.

Just a few weeks ago, GTA Online welcomed its The Kortz Center Heist update and within that update, players have stumbled across a strange piece of artwork, as highlighted by Reddit user JaneBunnFan below.

It shows an obscured green expanse, covered over with black smudges. There’s a main large central island, a smaller island towards the top left corner, and what appears to be some kind of long outcrop or archipelago in the top right corner.

It is, admittedly, suspiciously map shaped. The latest theory suggests that this is the kind of “creative” move that Zelnick referred to.

“Upside down and inverted, looks like the mapping project,” replied mastersniff, referring to the fan project where trailers, leaks, and screenshots are used to predict the game’s map.

“100% has to be. They said their marketing is going to be creative. [This] is proof right here,” added ArtMaker1745.

Of course, you do need to take this theory with a pinch of salt and technically, this is more of an Easter egg than marketing.

I’m sure Rockstar Games will pull off some more traditional high profile marketing stunts as we near the game’s 19 November launch too.

GTA VI’s third trailer is long overdue. We’re yet to see any unedited gameplay from the title, with trailer two only using gameplay presented in a cinematic manner.

That won’t have harmed GTA VI’s pre-orders. Fans will largely have pre-ordered while just blindly placing their trust in Rockstar Games.

For others though, it’ll be nice to see that GTA VI looks set to be as incredible as we’re all hoping.

It’s a much needed move after a string of controversies from Rockstar Games.

The developer previously announced that it wouldn’t be offering traditional physical copies of GTA VI, instead selling physical ‘code in a box’ versions.

That renders the box useless besides having it for display purposes as the code provides a digital copy of the game.

In fact, several US retailers boycotted physical sales, explaining that it's not a format they wish to offer customers.

On the same day, it was revealed that GTA VI will lock entire stores and missions behind the pricer Ultimate Edition of the game.

Usually, more expensive editions simply offer exclusive cosmetics rather than anything that affects the gameplay too deeply.

GTA VI hardly needs to rebuild its fortunes despite all of this, but it would be nice for gameplay to now drop regardless.