The new Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) trailer has officially confirmed the fate of Michael De Santa, one of the main protagonists from GTA 5, aligning with the canon ending of the previous game.
In GTA 5, players could choose between three endings: killing Trevor, killing Michael, or the "Deathwish" ending where all three protagonists survive. Rockstar Games has confirmed that the true canonical ending is the "Deathwish," meaning Michael is alive going into GTA 6.
This confirmation comes through subtle but significant clues in the GTA 6 trailer and related marketing materials. For instance, a piece of promotional content for Michael’s in-game movie project, Meltdown, appears on Rockstar’s website, listing the film as “coming soon.” This suggests that Michael’s dream of producing a movie, which was a major subplot in GTA 5, has come to fruition, reinforcing that he survived the events of the previous game.