Grand Theft Auto 6 finds itself in a decidedly unique position as one of the most anticipated video game releases of all time. Because of this, there is an unprecedented amount of attention and scrutiny that is being placed on any updates regarding the title, whether they stem from official or unofficial sources.
The way in which Rockstar goes about officially providing updates for Grand Theft Auto 6 leading up to its launch will have to be handled very carefully, and the company may do well to look at somewhat comparable titles from other studios and how their announcements have been handled. With this in mind, Rockstar may want to take notes from the announcement of Bethesda's Starfield, which has taken its own journey of mistakes and lessons learned.
Bethesda's Starfield Launch
While not many titles can live up to the levels of anticipation that surround Grand Theft Auto 6, it is safe to say that Starfield comes somewhat close. Being the first brand-new IP to come out of Bethesda in over 25 years, Starfield is set to offer an expansive space-faring RPG experience that has clearly piqued the interest of a plethora of fans.
Starfield was originally announced in 2018, yet the game was smartly reserved on any further announcements in the years following while the title was still in early development. It must be said, however, that Starfield did receive a teaser trailer at E3 2021, as well as a botched initial release window of November 2022. With this initial release of course being delayed, it is clear that Bethesda is now taking a much more careful and sure approach to any subsequent announcements.
It was recently announced that Starfield aims to release on September 6, 2023, and Bethesda is still reluctant to release more details despite the game's relatively close revised release date. For example, Starfield has been notably absent from recent Microsoft and Bethesda events, with the game set to receive its own "Starfield Direct" event on June 11.
Grand Theft Auto 6's Lessons From Starfield's Launch
Despite the widespread discourse that has surrounded Grand Theft Auto 6 for some time, the game has received next to nothing in the way of official acknowledgment from Rockstar. Grand Theft Auto 6 was officially confirmed via a modest Twitter post in February 2022, with the only real subsequent updates for the game coming with the now infamous September 2022 leaks of Grand Theft Auto 6, which drove the gaming industry into a frenzy.
It is crucial that Rockstar handles any subsequent GTA 6 announcements with a great level of clarity and sureness, with the aforementioned leaks only heightening the sensitivity of confirming any major details of the anticipated title. With this in mind, the primary lesson that Rockstar can take from Bethesda's launch of Starfield is to not make any promises on aspects such as a release date prematurely.
As well as this, Rockstar would do well to adopt Bethesda's more contemporary ethos with Starfield, in which it is giving the game its own dedicated platform for announcements during a time in which the game is close to release and has lots to show fans. While hype surrounding GTA 6 will always be massive, the release will not be immune to the detriment that often comes with prematurely cited release dates and huge gulfs in time between official announcements and updates. With this in mind, Rockstar would do well to take from Bethesda's recent Starfield approach to manage fan expectations and avoid negative press.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently in development.