GTA Online has been the subject of much conversation as the ramp-up to Grand Theft Auto 6's launch continues, and one industry source says players will be able to play the mode before 2026 is over.Currently, Rockstar hasn't set any kind of release date for GTA Online in the new game, which has been supremely popular in the community over the last decade-plus in GTA 5. Even without official confirmation, though, we have some leaks rolling in about when Rockstar is planning to release GTA Online.According to leaker @TheGhostOfHope on X, who has proven to be one of the most reliable industry sources on social media, GTA Online is set to arrive "within one month after the release of [GTA 6]."https://twitter.com/TheGhostOfHope/status/2041913732494733859This report is unsubstantiated by anyone but TheGhostOfHope at the moment, but the leaker has been reliable in the past. Previously, they were so accurate about Call of Duty leaks that Activision, the publisher behind the franchise, sent them a legal demand letter to stop reporting on inside information. Even outside of Call of Duty, though, TheGhostOfHope has reported correct leaks on a number of different games.While we won't know if the leaker is right about their new GTA Online report, the timeline does match up for Rockstar. For reference, GTA Online was released just two weeks after the launch of GTA 5 in 2013. Of course, we're working with much different hardware and circumstances this time around, but Rockstar likely knows the potential of the online mode following its success over the past 12 years.Apparently, though, Rockstar might only need a month to get it right. TheGhostOfHope's report is the first concrete leak we're hearing about GTA Online's timeline, and it's fairly surprising. Many fans, especially those on Reddit, pegged early 2027 as the most likely release window for the mode. That line of thinking reasoned that it would give players enough time in GTA 6's story mode and also ensure the developer had ample time to prepare for its release.There's also a minority of players who don't want GTA Online to be released anywhere closer to Nov. 19. Fans on Reddit have said they want to give the story mode more time in the spotlight and hope the online mode doesn't launch until months after the main game.Of course, there's another group of players in the community who believe a month is a perfect amount of time to wait between GTA 6 and the launch of Online. Looking at the responses to TheGhostOfHope's report, fans think it should take most players roughly a month to finish the story and complete everything they want in that mode.When you think about it, however, an earlier release for GTA Online makes sense from a financial standpoint. A mid-December release date might give players more of an incentive to buy the game before or during the holidays. Not that GTA 6 won't sell incredibly well regardless of when Online launches, but extra fourth-quarter sales would certainly make parent company Take Two Interactive's share prices increase.The post GTA Online fans might not have to wait long after GTA 6’s launch, reputable leaker says appeared first on Destructoid.