After Grand Theft Auto 5's unusually long lifetime, Rockstar has finally confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development, much to the delight of fans. The upcoming game will continue the highly successful franchise that has, for decades, been the benchmark for open-world gaming, and it has high expectations to meet. In addition to competing with GTA 5, it will also have to deal with the many other open-world franchises that have also proven themselves to be incredibly immersive.

Rockstar has been quiet on the details surrounding the upcoming game, but there have been plenty of leaks and rumors to keep gamers busy. If recent reports are to be believed, Grand Theft Auto 6 will be vastly different from its predecessors, though the changes may be ultimately good for the series. The upcoming game could also have a long lifespan, as leaks claim that it will be constantly updated.

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New Rockstar and Grand Theft Auto 6

A potential Grand Theft Auto 6 logo with a flashy car underneath, all bathed in a hot pink glow.

The biggest source of leaks has come from Bloomberg. According to industry insider Jason Schreier, Rockstar Games has been undergoing major changes in an attempt to transform into a company that is more compassionate and progressive. The company has done this by narrowing its gender pay gap and by taking steps to reduce the amount of crunch time its employees are exposed to. Rockstar has also been toning back the kind of offensive content featured in its games. This has been seen, for instance, with Grand Theft Auto 5, which had transphobic jokes removed. Schreier also claimed that a Grand Theft Auto: Online mode called "Cops 'n' Crooks" was canceled following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

According to Schreier, Grand Theft Auto 6 has been in development since 2014, and it will reflect many of the changes that have been going on at Rockstar. Consequently, the game will mark the first time in the series that gamers will have a female protagonist. Specifically, she will be a Latina that is one-half of a couple inspired by Bonnie and Clyde, and according to journalist Tom Henderson, she will be a smart woman who is good with technology and hacking. Bloomberg's report also claims that developers are taking care to not "punch down" by making jokes that target marginalized groups. This would be a drastic change for the franchise which has, in the past, offered reverence for nothing and has been willing to direct its crass humor toward any targets.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Setting

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Earlier rumors had suggested that GTA 6 was being developed under the codename Project Americas, hinting at the fact that it would take place in North America and South America. Bloomberg's report lends credence to this report, as it claims that developers originally wanted to include both North America and South America in Grand Theft Auto 6. However, this proved to be too large of a project, and developers settled on a fictionalized version of Miami and its surrounding areas. This suggests that GTA 6 will take place in Vice City.

The map will not be static, however, and it will be constantly updated with new missions and cities. This has allegedly been done to avoid subjecting Rockstar's employees to crunch. It could also suggest that GTA 6 will have a long lifespan like its predecessor, as the updates would ensure the game constantly has fresh content to keep gamers engaged. Although some gamers disliked GTA 5's extended lifespan, a return to single-player DLC with GTA 6 could be a good move, as GTA 4 proved that the company is capable of delivering great DLC.

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Whatever gamers get will be stunning to look at, if reports are to be believed. According to journalist Chris Kippel, the engine Rockstar is using to develop GTA 6 is ahead of its time, and gamers will not be disappointed by the visuals. He also claimed that the goal is to outdo the Unreal Engine, which has shown itself to be able to produce phenomenal visuals with Unreal Engine 5. Rockstar has shown its ability to present jaw-dropping visuals with games like Red Dead Redemption 2, and the potential to see the company outdo itself is exciting.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Is Coming

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The changes at Rockstar will surely benefit developers, though Schreier claims some employees are concerned about the game's slow progress, and some wonder whether the company can still produce the masterpieces that made it a centerpiece of the gaming world. There have also been rumors surrounding the upcoming game's story. In June, Notable leaker @Matheusvictorbr claimed that the game will follow twins as they avenge the death of their parents at the hands of a cartel. While the male twin attempts to work for the government, the female attempts to work from within, becoming a brutal assassin. The leaker also claimed that an Easter Egg image found in the remastered GTA trilogy, featuring a neat suburban house, was from GTA 6.

Journalist Tom Henderson has claimed that Rockstar plans to release the next Grand Theft Auto game between 2024 and 2025. The claim is plausible, as Take-Two Interactive's 10-K SEC filing from 2020 projected the company spending $89 million on marketing between April 2023 and March 2024. Though the wait will likely frustrate gamers, it does also allow more current-generation consoles to infiltrate the gaming market, which will allow GTA 6 to have the record-breaking launch Rockstar is likely looking for.

In time, Rockstar will eventually reveal more details about Grand Theft Auto 6. It is unlikely to happen at Gamescom 2022, as the company will likely want its own spotlight when revealing the highly anticipated game. According to known leaker Tez2, a GTA 6 announcement of some sort may be on the way. Whatever Rockstar is cooking up, Take-Two has great confidence in it, as CEO Strauss Zelnick has stated that the game will "set creative benchmarks for the series, our industry, and all entertainment."

Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently in development.

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