At last, Rockstar Games’ long stretch of silence about Grand Theft Auto 6 appears to be nearing an end. Earlier this week, the studio shared a first look at the game’s cover art and confirmed that preorders will begin on June 25. It’s hard not to connect preorder timing with an upcoming trailer release too—ideally one that reveals some gameplay specifics, not just a preview focused on mood and atmosphere.
As has become the norm, this new tease from Rockstar has immediately fueled a wave of speculation. Players can’t stop talking about the toothy alligator featured on the GTA 6 cover, and their excitement is spilling over across a range of social platforms.
Alligators are commonly found in the marshy regions of central and southern Florida, and that’s also where GTA 6 is set. They can reach weights of roughly 500 pounds and grow to as much as 15 feet from snout to tail. While these animals aren’t herbivores, incidents involving attacks on people are relatively rare. Still, Disney World has reportedly relocated more than 400 alligators from the park following a tragic event in 2016 that involved a toddler. It’s easy to imagine what might happen when questionable criminals cross paths with oversized, unpredictable reptiles.
Because the alligator sits so prominently in the center of the collage, some fans have started referring to it as “Auto.” Others have gone a step further, wondering whether this intimidating creature could take on a role of its own—much like Chop the Rottweiler did in GTA 5. Throughout that game, Chop helps Franklin chase down different villains, and one Twitter user believes we may see a similar function for this toothy character in the sequel. “I’m convinced there’s at least one major mission involving an alligator in GTA VI, and potentially an entire side activity or encounter system revolving around Leonida’s wildlife,” they noted.
Meanwhile, another Redditor suggested that a main character could end up keeping an alligator as a pet. “Rockstar likes to put these kinds of hints right in front of you. Remember the cover art of GTA 5? They showed Chop clearly before the game even launched, and he ended up being a standout companion. With the latest GTA 6 artwork, they’re spotlighting an alligator in much the same way. Rockstar is definitely signaling a special kind of relationship here—just like they did with Chop more than a decade ago—except this time, it’s an NPC paired with a ‘tame’ alligator,” they wrote.
Another sharp-eyed Reddit user also made a joke about one missing detail in Rockstar’s new animal buddy. Most alligators have about 80 teeth, but “Auto” from the GTA 6 cover art appears to have only around 60. That’s 25% fewer than the typical alligator! Talk about shrinkflation. Given the studio’s track record for meticulous work—yes, we’re all aware of the horse testicle discussions—it’s to be hoped they’ll fix this before release.

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From the first two trailers for GTA 6, it’s pretty obvious Rockstar is leaning hard into the state’s classic “Florida man” vibes that helped shape its setting. It’s entirely possible we’ll run into a character who turns his pet alligator into a way to get rid of inconvenient evidence—or inconvenient people. At minimum, you can expect some kind of fan boat moment in the Everglades, with Jason and/or Lucia trying to slip past a few hungry reptiles. Fingers crossed we’ll learn more about “Auto” on June 25, right when preorders kick off.
The horndogs on the GTA 6 subreddit actually raise some pretty interesting points
Fans are curious about just how risqué Rockstar’s sequel will become