Despite Fans' Hopes, Michael De Santa Will Not Return in GTA 6

As is known, Rockstar Games brought back some characters from GTA 4 in the franchise’s fifth installment, which was released way back in 2013 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox Series X/S. These familiar faces, like Johnny Klebitz, Patrick "Packie" McReary, Brucie Kibbutz, Michelle, and more, are not only in the game's story mode but also in GTA Online—and fans are hopeful the same approach will be considered with GTA 6.

Recently, a new rumor claimed that Michael de Santa, one of GTA 5's protagonists, will return in GTA 6. This was allegedly reported by IGN; however, GTA Boom portal debunked the rumor, stating that IGN never published such an article and that the source who posted it on their X page was likely joking. Meanwhile, Ned Luke, the voice actor for Michael in GTA 5, responded to the original post by saying, "Wouldn't that be nice?" as you can check out below:

Ned Luke will return as Michael de Santa in Grand Theft Auto VI.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Considering that Rockstar Games decided to bring back certain characters from the fourth installment in GTA 5, it's quite possible they might do the same for the sixth title to expand the game universe. Especially since Lucia Caminos, one of the two main protagonists, is known to be from Liberty City, which could lead the way for the return of other characters from the fourth game, not to mention more from GTA 5. At the same time, one of the game leaks revealed that Luis Lopez, the protagonist of Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, will also appear in GTA 6 —though his role won’t be major.

You can also find out everything we know about GTA 6 so far - the story, gameplay, map, open world, platforms, and more - as well as how GTA 6 is reshaping the 2026 game calendar and everything about GTA 6 pre-order details: price, bonuses, exact time, and Ultimate Edition.

Would you like to see Michael de Santa in GTA 6? Which other GTA 5 characters would you like to see coming back in the sixth installment? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Grand Theft Auto VI will release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.