It is no exaggeration to say that Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the biggest video game releases of all time. Sales for Grand Theft Auto 5 have consistently been impressive since it launched in 2013, making it one of the biggest hits for Rockstar as a game developer. Even with the consistent updates implemented into Grand Theft Auto Online, surely Rockstar knows that it can't rest on the fifth installment of its open-world franchise forever, and will need to follow up with Grand Theft Auto 6 at some point.
Rumors and speculation for Grand Theft Auto 6 have been mounting on the Internet for a long time, with everything from Vice City being the game's setting to the central protagonist being female. Until Rockstar Games officially confirms anything, fans will have to wait and see what the game shapes up to be. However, with certainly a few more years until Grand Theft Auto 6 is completed, there are a few side projects Rockstar could pursue to satisfy its fan bases. While none of these are confirmed, players would surely appreciate Rockstar revisiting some other past series as a detour from mainstays within the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption universes.
Rockstar Games - Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Remaster
As stated, Grand Theft Auto is undoubtedly Rockstar's bread and butter as a studio. Pioneering the popularity of open-world gaming, the series has had many entries hit the scene for more than two decades. The game to truly explode and help acquire the attention of gamers was Grand Theft Auto 3 on the PS2, released back in 2001. Following this up with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas over the next few years, Rockstar made a name for itself by making each game larger and more interactive than the last.
In some respects, particularly the visuals, this trilogy of older Grand Theft Auto games is starting to show its age. While by no means bad and worth a revisit for those curious how the franchise got its footing, Rockstar has made significant progress since then. For gamers who have only experienced Grand Theft Auto 5, and even veterans who grew up with the originals, going backward may be a difficult endeavor after the leaps and bounds made over the years.
This is where a remaster or remake of the original trilogy would be a welcome effort. Revisiting older titles and giving them a fresh coat of paint as well as quality-of-life improvements has become a popular venture in the gaming industry. The upgrades seen in Mafia: Definitive Edition can provide a hint of what it looks like to take a two-decade-old open-world game and updating it to the modern era with better graphics, controls, and other improvements. Surely Rockstar has the resources available to invest in a smaller side project like this, and it's something that would definitely be a thrill for any players interested in the beloved franchise.
Rockstar Games - Bully Remake or Sequel
While Rockstar is mostly known for its Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises, the company has other well-regarded IPs in its library. The high-octane thrills of the Midnight Club racing series and visceral violence found in Manhunt have both attracted a legion of fans over the years. Another welcome surprise would be for Rockstar to revive Agent, a project originally announced for PlayStation 3 and long believed to be a game stuck in development hell.
However, what would make the biggest splash would be for Rockstar to revisit the franchise most arguably requested by the gaming community: 2006's Bully. Serving as a clever and irreverent twist on its open-world formula, Bully swapped out many of the elements expected from Grand Theft Auto such as guns and mob hits, replacing them with slingshots and after school shenanigans. For a PlayStation 2 game, Bully was remarkably detailed with varied environments, unique NPC's to interact with, and an abundance of activities to complete. It unfortunately didn't perform as well as its sibling series Grand Theft Auto, resulting in Rockstar not having revisited the series since.
Bully has garnered a large following over the years, however, with many players being charmed by its unique approach to the many conventions seen in open-world games. While a full sequel to the original would be an excellent addition to Rockstar's lineup, if the studio feels that is too risky then a remaster would work just as well. Any of these options would work, and Rockstar definitely isn't short on employees of financial backing to make these projects happen. The wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 is sure to be a long one, so Rockstar would do well to satisfy fan cravings with a smaller, but still welcome treat.
Time will tell if Rockstar truly does have anything in store for gamers while the wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 continues. Fans will speculate on every leak and shred of information, even something as bizarre as Netflix hinting at Grand Theft Auto 6 details. Regardless, rough estimates point to Grand Theft Auto 6 only being ready to ship by 2024 or 2025, which is still many years away. Rockstar is home to some of the most renown and successful IPs in the industry, with no shortage of options to help fill the void in between its major releases.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is rumored to be in development.