Grand Theft Auto 6 is one of the most anticipated games of all time. With nine years passed since Grand Theft Auto 5, and by the looks of it even more so, it’s the longest the series has lasted without a mainline release. Even with GTA 6 seemingly a long time away, Rockstar appears to be restructuring its plans for existing projects to accommodate it.
Although rumors have been circulating for years, GTA 6 was only officially confirmed in the works via a Tweet in February 2022 – although current Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier reports that it has been in development since 2014. Even with all this time in development, not much is known about the game at the moment. So far it is suspected that GTA 6 will take place in the Grand Theft Auto universe’s fictional version of Miami, known as Vice City. In addition to that main setting, it can venture to other cities, and maybe even other countries as the game progresses. It has also been suggested that it will follow a female protagonist for the first time.
The End of an Era for GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2
Fans are aware that support for Red Dead Redemption 2s online part, Reddead Online, has been quiet for a while. A Rockstar Games blog post in July 2022 suggested that support for the game will slow down and eventually stop in the future, citing “steadily moving more development resources to the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series.” That announcement came after what was already a period of poorly received content updates for Red Dead Online while fans saw GTA Online get more substantial and consistent updates over the same period.
The story of GTA 5s support paints a different picture. Few games have received as much post-launch support as GTA 5 since 2013. It has been made available on three successive console generations and received regular updates and content expansions during its nine-year run. To the dismay of some, that’s all for GTA Online instead of single player DLC. But it seems that support is now also ending, probably due to the development of GTA 6.
Rockstar has published a credits page and a “thank you” message on its website for everyone involved in the success of GTA 5 and its online component. The page does not explicitly state the end of support or plans about GTA6, but the consensus based on the wording of this “thank you” message is that it’s an emotional goodbye to the game.
The importance of this decision is hard to underestimate given GTA 5 is the most profitable piece of entertainment media in history. Much of this is due to the continued dominance of GTA Online and its Shark Card microtransactions. So the decision to phase out support is certainly not a decision Rockstar takes lightly. If it is true that support for GTA Online ends, it’s a big sign that the developer is shifting as much focus as possible to GTA6
What does this mean for GTA 6?
Disappointment at the end of support for GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 is understandable. GTA Online has a huge and loyal fan base Red Dead Online ended on a pretty sour note for many fans. However, there are many reasons why these plans are both necessary and helpful.
There are two big things that these plans can entail. The first is that fans will finally get concrete news about GTA6 So far, the only official information is Rockstar’s confirmation that development is underway. Since the development is seemingly completely shifting to the new project, it could mean that the developer is ready and able to bring out more details such as GTA 6 announcement trailers or release dates.
The second implication concerns the quality of GTA 6 yourself. A lot has changed in the industry since then GTA 5 released, including some more disturbing trends. Notably, a cycle of over-promise and under-delivery has become more common, especially in open-world AAA titles. Developers planning huge titles have sometimes released games that feel unfinished. The first releases of nobody’s air, Mass Effect: Andromeda, National Anthem, and Cyberpunk 2077 are some of the most notable examples. Hopefully moving as many resources as possible to GTA 6 means that not only will it be a good game overall, but it can be released in a decently polished state on day one.
Move teams to GTA 6s development can also benefit those teams. Crunch culture in video game development is an increasingly relevant concern, and Rockstar in particular is at the center of that criticism, with former Vice President Dan Houser openly admitting that employees worked 100-hour weeks while developing Reddead Redemption 2. The company has gratefully indicated that it is committed to changing that and bringing all hands on deck for GTA 6 can be part of that promise.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently under development.
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