It’s nearly impossible to decide what the biggest, best, or most impactful game in the industry today is, but in those discussions, there’s one name that’s hard to ignore: Grand Theft Auto 5. Although it was released back in 2013, it continues to top sales charts today and is the most profitable entertainment product of all time. Not only that, but it has spanned practically every mainline platform since the PS3 and Xbox 360 days. The Grand Theft Auto 5: Enhanced and Expanded Edition is even bringing it to PS5 and Xbox Series X next year.
Its September 17, 2013 release date means it turned 8 years old just a month ago, but it’s been in the public consciousness for longer than that. In fact, the first time it was ever publicly mentioned was its proper announcement on October 25th, 2011, and Grand Theft Auto 5 would get its first trailer a little later on November 2, 2011. It’s been 10 years since Rockstar ever uttered the first word on Grand Theft Auto 5, yet it’s still completely silent on GTA 6.
GTA 5 vs GTA 6
Without a doubt, the success of Grand Theft Auto 5 has likely impacted Grand Theft Auto 6 in some way. It’s not exactly like Rockstar hasn’t had the resources to work on GTA 6—it is most likely doing that anyway—but that there’s definitely no rush. Grand Theft Auto 6 will likely sell like hotcakes on release, but Rockstar probably wants to get all it can out of GTA 5 first, as any company would.
Next year, GTA Online is becoming its own standalone item. This may mean good things for GTA 6’s eventual release, as just as Warzone updates with new Call of Duty titles, GTA Online could too. And GTA Online is a major factor in terms of Grand Theft Auto 5’s success, even though its single-player component is no slouch either.
In short, GTA 5 set a high bar for GTA 6, and even Rockstar is likely wary of the situation. Any company would be, as Rockstar is trying to live up to the most profitable entertainment product of all time.
Grand Theft Auto 6 News in the Wind
Even if Rockstar hasn’t said anything about GTA 6 yet, that doesn’t mean it’s not working on it. The most likely scenario is that Grand Theft Auto 6 is in some stage of development, and there have been plenty of insider comments, reports, and, to a lesser degree, rumors for it to stand on. One of the most reliably reported details is that GTA 6 will release moderately sized and be expanded upon over time, something that Arthur Morgan’s actor Roger Clark has said would make GTA telling a long-form story like Red Dead impossible.
Quite a few months ago, in fact, some insiders got into a heated debate over how far into development Grand Theft Auto 6 was. More recently, another reliable leaker made a GTA 6 image related to a female protagonist and jet packs. In other words, while Rockstar hasn’t said a word on GTA 6 after GTA 5’s reveal ten years ago, there are plenty of people talking about it and more than enough to fill a book. It’s just how much reliable info is out there; perhaps, after the upcoming GTA re-releases and remasters hit the market, Rockstar will speak into existence the next entry in the GTA franchise.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is reportedly in development.