GTA 6: Ten major moments in history since GTA 5 released

It's been a staggering 12 years since GTA 5 first released on PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 17 2013. It has since been re-released on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

GTA 6 has been delayed but finally has a release date of May 26 2026 with trailer 2 and loads of new screenshots being shared.

Although there's still more than a year to go until the most highly-anticipated game of all time releases, a lot has happened in the 12 years since the last new Grand Theft Auto game launched.

Here are 10 of the biggest moments in history since GTA 5 released.

1. COVID pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020 / Spencer Platt, Getty Images

The COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020, plunging most of the world into lockdown to protect people from getting the virus. Eventually, vaccines were developed and shared across the globe to protect people from the deadly virus which allowed the world to slowly open back up again. Now, it's something that's lived with because of these vaccines, a better understanding of the virus and improved collective immunity to it.

2. Barack Obama was US President in 2013 - now Donald Trump is in second term

Former US President Barack Obama sat next to current President Donald Trump at the State funeral of Jimmy Carter earlier in 2025 / Mandel Ngan, AFP via Getty Images

What a difference 12 years can make... Obama was into his second term in 2013 and was succeeded by Trump in 2016. Joe Biden then had a term before Trump won the US election again in 2024.

3. Same-sex marriage being legalised across the US

Same-sex marriage was legalised across the US in 2015 / SeventyFour, iStock

The US Supreme Court legalised same-sex marriage in all 50 states of the US on June 26 2015. It also required states to honour out-of-state same-sex marriage licenses too.

4. Russia-Ukraine war

The Ukraine war has been going on for more than three years now / Bastien Ohier, Hans Lucas, AFP via Getty Images

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and the war has been raging on ever since, with hundreds of thousands of people killed or injured because of the conflict.

5. Black Lives Matter and MeToo movements

The Black Lives Matter movement gained global traction in 2020 following the death of George Floyd / Olivier Douliery, AFP via Getty Images

There have been a number of movements since 2013 but two that stand out are Black Lives Matter and MeToo.

Black Lives Matter started in 2013 but gained global traction in 2020 following the death of George Floyd. MeToo, which campaigns against sexual abuse, harassment and rape culture, gained prominence in 2017 during the Harvey Weinstein case.

6. Malala Yousafzai wins Nobel Peace Prize

Malala Yousafzai is the youngest ever Nobel laureate after winning the Nobel Peace Prize aged 17 / Leon Bennett, Getty Images

Pakistan 17-year-old activist Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her fight for the right of every child to receive an education. She's the youngest ever Nobel laureate.

7. Ice Bucket Challenge raises millions for ALS research

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Millions of people around the world took part in the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014 to raise funds and awareness of ALS. The challenge saw people get icy water chucked over them and then nominate others to do the same.

8. NASA's New Horizons is first spacecraft to do Pluto flyby

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

In 2015, NASA's New Horizon spacecraft made the first, and so far only, flyby of Pluto. The closest contact came in July that year with the probe able to explore the dwarf planet and its moons.

9. Michael Phelps becomes most successful Olympian of all time

Michael Phelps winning one of his 23 gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games / Adam Pretty, Getty Images

US swimmer Michael Phelps became the most successful Olympian of all time at the 2016 Rio Games. He has won 28 medals, 23 of which are gold, and holds the record for the most amount of gold medals at one Olympic Games, winning eight at the 2008 Beijing Games.

10. Scientists reveal first ever image of black hole

The first ever image taken of a black hole / Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration

In 2019, scientists managed to take the first ever image of a black hole. It was taken using Event Horizon Telescope observations of the centre of the galaxy M87. It shows a bright ring as light bends in the intense gravity around a black hole.

Elsewhere from indy100, five things that prove how different life was in 2013 when GTA 5 released and check out five things trailer 2 of GTA 6doesn't tell you.

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