LA Noire 2 Could Be Rockstar's Next Major Game After GTA 6: What the Leak Says and What's Actually Confirmed
With GTA 6 set to launch on November 19, 2026, Rockstar fans are already asking the next big question: what comes after? An old rumor from 2023 has resurfaced on GTA Forums, and it points to LA Noire 2 as Rockstar's next major project. The claims are specific: a San Francisco setting, a story built around the Zodiac Killer, and a possible 2030 release. Rockstar has confirmed none of it.
Below, I separate what the leak claims, what Rockstar's parent company has actually said, and how much weight any of this deserves.
Quick Answer: A leaker's claim from December 2023 says LA Noire 2 could follow GTA 6 around 2030, set in San Francisco and centered on the Zodiac Killer. Take-Two's CEO has said only that Rockstar's teams keep looking at older franchises. There is no official announcement, no release window, and no confirmed development.
Table of Contents
- What the Resurfaced LA Noire 2 Leak Claims
- Where the Rumor Came From
- Why Some Fans Take This Leaker Seriously
- What Take-Two's CEO Actually Said
- Why the Zodiac Killer Would Fit an LA Noire Game
- The Face-Scanning Claim
- Reasons to Stay Skeptical
- LA Noire 2 Release Date: What We Know
- FAQ
- Conclusion
What the Resurfaced LA Noire 2 Leak Claims
According to the rumor, Rockstar's post-GTA 6 plans include a sequel to its 2011 detective game. The claims that have been circulating this week are:
- Setting: San Francisco instead of 1940s Los Angeles.
- Story: A case centered on the unidentified Zodiac Killer.
- Timing: A possible debut around 2030, roughly four years after GTA 6, if Rockstar sticks to its plans.
- Technology: Rockstar's higher-ups reportedly want to bring back facial scanning and push it much further.
This is all secondhand information from an anonymous source. Treat every point as a rumor, not as a reveal.
Where the Rumor Came From
The claims trace back to a 4chan leaker. A GTA Forums user named Shahanshah shared them on December 8, 2023, and the post recently resurfaced and started spreading on social media and gaming news sites. That means the information is nearly three years old. Rockstar's plans could have changed, been delayed, or been dropped entirely since then, which is worth remembering whenever a headline says "next game."
Why Some Fans Take This Leaker Seriously
The main reason this rumor is getting attention is the source's history. The same leaker reportedly described several GTA 6 details long before Rockstar showed them publicly:
- The romantic relationship between Jason and Lucia, including the ability to go on dates.
- A Criminal Profile system that affects the story.
- Rockstar's original plan for four playable protagonists in GTA 6, which Rockstar North co-head Rob Nelson later confirmed.
A good track record on one game doesn't guarantee accuracy on another. Being right about GTA 6 mechanics says little about a project that, if it exists, is years from release. It makes the source worth noting, not worth trusting blindly.
What Take-Two's CEO Actually Said
The only official comment on record came in April 2026 at the iicon gaming event in Las Vegas. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about LA Noire and said there was nothing to announce on it specifically. He added that if there were, Rockstar would be the one to announce it.
He also said Rockstar's teams are always looking at their legacy IP and that the real question is whether a team is passionate about working on it at any given time. That is a long way from confirming a sequel. It is encouraging for fans, but it is not evidence that LA Noire 2 is in development.
Why the Zodiac Killer Would Fit an LA Noire Game
If the rumor is wrong about everything else, the creative pairing still makes sense. The Zodiac Killer is one of America's most famous unsolved cases. The killer murdered at least five people in the San Francisco Bay Area between December 1968 and October 1969, and claimed a much higher number in later letters. Those letters and cryptograms were sent to Bay Area newspapers, and two of the four cryptograms have been decoded, while the other two remain unsolved.
That mix of investigation, coded clues, and an unresolved ending suits a game about interrogation and evidence. Other writers have imagined the same idea independently. ComicBook.com, for example, ran a fan-perspective piece in late 2025 picturing a 1960s San Francisco detective game built around the Zodiac case. So the concept is popular, but a popular idea is not proof.
The Face-Scanning Claim
The original LA Noire, developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar in 2011, was known for its facial capture technology. Reading suspects' expressions was central to the gameplay. The leaker says Rockstar wants to revisit that approach and make it far more advanced.
It's a plausible direction, since facial detail is the game's signature feature. But it's also the kind of vague claim that is easy to make and hard to disprove, so I'd weigh it lightly.
Reasons to Stay Skeptical
- Old information: The leak dates to December 2023, so it may not reflect current plans.
- No evidence: No documents, screenshots, or job listings back up the claim.
- Team Bondi is gone: The studio behind the original was shut down shortly after the game's release, so a sequel would need a new team.
- Rockstar's focus: The studio hasn't released a game outside the GTA and Red Dead franchises since Max Payne 3 in 2012, aside from remasters and ports such as LA Noire: The VR Case Files.
- Past false alarms: In 2020, a supposed LA Noire Part Two leak on YouTube was widely judged to be fake.
- Rockstar's silence: The studio rarely responds to rumors, so the lack of a denial means nothing either way.
LA Noire 2 Release Date: What We Know
| Claim | Status |
| LA Noire 2 is in development | Not confirmed by Rockstar or Take-Two |
| Set in San Francisco | Rumor only |
| Zodiac Killer storyline | Rumor only |
| Release around 2030 | Rumor only, no official window |
| Rockstar revisiting older franchises | Loosely supported by Take-Two CEO comments, no specific game named |
| GTA 6 launch on November 19, 2026 | Scheduled release date |
In short, there is no official LA Noire 2 release date. Anyone quoting a specific year as fact is repeating the rumor.
FAQ
Is LA Noire 2 officially confirmed?
No. Rockstar has not announced it, and Take-Two's CEO has said there is nothing to announce on LA Noire specifically.
Where would LA Noire 2 be set, according to the leak?
The rumor says San Francisco, with a story built around the Zodiac Killer. This is unconfirmed.
When could LA Noire 2 release?
The leaker suggested around 2030, but that claim is from 2023 and Rockstar has given no release window.
Who is the Zodiac Killer?
The Zodiac Killer is an unidentified serial killer who murdered at least five people in the San Francisco Bay Area between December 1968 and October 1969. The case remains officially unsolved.
Why do people trust this leaker?
The source reportedly described several GTA 6 features that were later confirmed, including the four-protagonist plan that Rockstar North co-head Rob Nelson acknowledged. That earns attention, but it doesn't verify the LA Noire claims.
Did Take-Two say LA Noire 2 is coming?
No. Strauss Zelnick said Rockstar's teams are always considering their older properties, but he named no specific project.
What is Rockstar's next game after GTA 6?
Rockstar hasn't announced anything after GTA 6. Fans have speculated about other projects, including a Red Dead follow-up, but nothing is official.
Conclusion
An LA Noire sequel set in 1960s San Francisco, chasing the Zodiac Killer, is a genuinely appealing idea, and the leaker's GTA 6 track record explains why the rumor keeps circulating. But the source is anonymous, the claims are almost three years old, and Rockstar has confirmed nothing. Until the studio says otherwise, LA Noire 2 is a rumor worth watching, not a game to plan around.
Would you want LA Noire 2 to follow GTA 6, or would you rather see a different Rockstar franchise return? Share your thoughts in the comments.