For years, GTA 6 sat comfortably at the top of every "most anticipated game" list ever published. It was the answer before the question was even asked. But a new industry report is telling a different story — and the gaming world is paying attention.
According to the latest Most Anticipated Games Index published by Anticipation Tracker, a quarterly report that aggregates wishlist data, social mentions, search volume, and pre-registration numbers across 40 countries, GTA 6 has been knocked to second place. The game now sitting above it: Elderstone Chronicles, an open-world RPG from developer Arcane Veil that won't launch until 2027.
That's not a typo. An unannounced RPG with no gameplay footage and a single cinematic trailer has, on paper, overtaken the most anticipated franchise in gaming history.
The methodology matters here. The index doesn't just count raw hype — it weights recent momentum. GTA 6 has been in the public eye since its trailer dropped in December 2023. That's nearly three years of sustained attention. Elderstone is new. Its reveal trailer from six weeks ago generated 22 million views in 48 hours and sparked a wishlist frenzy that the index's recency weighting treats as a massive spike.
In other words: GTA 6 hasn't lost demand. It's just been out-hyped in the short term by something shiny and new.
The GTA 6 community's reaction was predictably sharp. "This is like saying the Mona Lisa isn't the most viewed painting today because a new gallery opened," one Reddit post put it, racking up 28,000 upvotes.
That said, there's a real insight buried in the data. The report also shows GTA 6's "active search volume" — people actively looking up release dates, news, and leaks — has dropped 18% over the past 90 days compared to the prior quarter. Hype fatigue is real. When a game is announced and then sits in silence for months at a time, even the most dedicated fanbases start to drift.
Rockstar's ongoing media blackout post-Trailer 2 is clearly taking a toll. Every week without a trailer, a screenshot, a pricing announcement, or even an official word on the release date is a week where competitor games fill the vacuum.
GTA 6 will reclaim the top spot the moment Rockstar speaks. But until they do, expect more of this.