After Grand Theft Auto 5's extended lifespan, Rockstar has confirmed that the next Grand Theft Auto entry is in development. Nothing has been revealed yet about the upcoming game, though that has not stopped heaps of leaks and rumors surrounding the highly anticipated titles, with the most popular theories claiming that Grand Theft Auto 6 will take place in Vice City across different eras. Gamers have also been wondering just how much GTA 6 will draw from its predecessors, and how much it will pioneer new features.
One of the features GTA 6 may borrow from GTA 5 is its multiple protagonists, as GTA 5 proved just how effective this feature is. However, this does not mean that GTA 6 will be a copy of games that came prior, as there are still several ways to innovate the formula. This could be done by featuring more complex multiple endings connected to the multiple protagonists, including a more diverse cast of playable characters and featuring playable characters across different periods.
The Effectiveness of Multiple Protagonists
GTA 5 is the most successful game in the franchise for a myriad of reasons, not least of all because of the host of new features it introduced, like including three playable characters that players can easily switch between. Each of the protagonists typically roams their own region of the map, making it easy for players to quickly travel around Los Santos' vast landscape. Furthermore, their varied personalities give gamers different perspectives of the city and the story, giving the game an added dimension of complexity and replayability.
Players are introduced to Franklin Clinton, a gangster who lives with his aunt in the lower regions of Los Santos. Unlike his friend, Lamar, Franklin has big dreams for himself, and he wishes to progress past petty crime. He believes he has found his ticket out of the hood when he crosses paths with Michael De Santa, an ex-criminal who gives up his life of heists to be a suburban family man, though he finds that this does not satisfy him. Gamers can spend time playing as Franklin or Michael, or they can switch to Trevor Philips, an unpredictable psychopath who used to pull heists with Michael.
Each of the protagonists has their own special abilities, which makes each of them useful for specific tasks. Franklin has Driving Focus, allowing him to slow down time as drives, turning him into a beast on the streets. Michael has Area Kill, which gives him bullet time, and Trevor has Red Mist, which triggers his rage, making his blows serve more damage while he takes less damage. These abilities complement the personalities of the characters while giving players a reason to switch between protagonists.
How Grand Theft Auto 6 Can Innovate the Formula
After how successful GTA 5's implementation of multiple protagonists was, it is unlikely that Rockstar will give it up so quickly. Going back to a single protagonist would feel like a step back for the franchise, and that is something that the developers likely want to avoid. However, there are many ways Rockstar can improve on the foundation GTA 5 laid down. One of the benefits of having three protagonists in GTA 5 is that it allowed for multiple endings, leaving it up to the player to decide who they spare and who they sacrifice. Should the next GTA game also feature multiple protagonists, it will probably be the case that it will have multiple endings that depend on the choices that the player makes.
GTA 6 can take things further by leading players to a certain ending depending on the cumulative choices they have made throughout the game instead of tying the conclusion to a final decision that players make at the end. For instance, spending more time with a certain protagonist may trigger a specific ending, or endings could be contingent on the moral choices players make throughout the game. This may result in gamers being in less control of the game's outcome, but it also allows for more surprises to creep in as well as unexpected endings.
GTA 6 could also innovate by increasing the diversity of the playable characters available. While GTA 5's protagonists were satisfyingly varied, they ultimately still conformed to the typical GTA protagonist mold. This could be changed, for instance, by making one of the protagonists a cop, forcing players to see the story play out from both sides of the law. In a first for the series, GTA 6 could also introduce a female protagonist. GTA games usually have a very masculine tone to them, often to the detriment of women. However, with a female protagonist, GTA 6 would have the opportunity to offer a different perspective on the GTA world.
Perhaps the most drastic way GTA 6 could innovate GTA 5's multiple protagonist formula is by setting the different protagonists in different eras. For instance, One of the protagonists could roam a modern-day version of Vice City while a different protagonist could explore an 80s version of the same city, allowing players to see how the location has changed over time. With modern gaming systems, loading the different versions of Vice City speedily is an achievable feat.
Expectations are high for Grand Theft Auto 6, and the pressure is on for Rockstar Games to deliver a masterpiece that will please the gamers that have been patiently waiting for almost a decade. Almost certainly, the game will, as prior GTA titles have, raise the bar for open-world realism and fun by expanding the freedom players have to wreak havoc and immerse themselves in a virtual world. With its constant desire to improve, Rockstar is unlikely to revert to a single protagonist after including three in GTA 5, as players are more likely to see developers expand on the feature instead.
The next Grand Theft Auto title is currently in development.