Grand Theft Auto 5cannot be faulted for its longevity. After all these years, the game’s quality holds up and it still retains a lot of regular players. Rockstar managed to makeGrand Theft Auto 5one of the best-selling games in the industry, which speaks volumes about its reception and appeal. Naturally, though,GTAfans don’t just want to coast onGTA 5forever; they want to know when Rockstar will releaseGrand Theft Auto 6. Fans have spent years demanding the fabled next installation intheGrand Theft Autofranchise, which has the opportunity to mark a new chapter in the franchise’s history by trying new things in the wake of the previous game’s overwhelming success.
Recent reports aboutGrand Theft Auto 6suggest that the game won’t be out for a long time, though. Rockstar’s silence about the next game indicates that too, but it’s still surprising to learn that many years could pass before the nextGTAcomes out. After all,Grand Theft Auto 5is almost eight years old. Ironically, though,GTA 5is probably the best tool Rockstar has for entertaining fans of the franchise untilGrand Theft Auto 6is ready. It’s probably not necessary for Rockstar to make another game in order to appease fans untilGTA 6is out.
RELATED:Every Grand Theft Auto 6 ‘Rumor’ and ‘Leak’ So Far in 2021
It’s frankly a little odd to hear how long it could be beforeGrand Theft Auto 6releases. Rumors about it have floated around for years, but now fans have reason to believe that there’s much more development ahead than expected. According to several sources,Grand Theft Auto 6might not release until 2025. One would expect that Rockstar would be a little further along in replacing an eight-year-old game than that, but apparentlyGTA 6just needs that kind of development time. While ultimately patience is for the best, one wonders how Rockstar will hold the attention ofGTAfans in the meantime.
Rockstar certainly has the option of reviving an old IP. For instance, fans of Rockstar’s old high school action-adventure titleBullywonder ifBully 2could get released within the next couple of years.BullyandGrand Theft Autohave more than enough themes in common that it could amuse theGTAfandom in the meantime. Reports suggestBully 2was once in development but got canceled, which is whyRockstar hasn’t acknowledgedBully 2in years.
If Rockstar canceledBully 2years ago and hasn’t talked about it since, odds are low that the developer is suddenly going to announce its return. For one thing,Bully’s fandom would want a strong and ambitious sequel. It’s been 15 years since the first game came out, soBully 2wouldn’t be accepted as just a rehashing of the first game’s concepts with better graphics and a few next-gen advancements.Grand Theft Auto 6wouldn’tbenefit from aBullygamequickly put out to tide over fans; if anything, it’d reflect poorly on Rockstar. The same logic makes sudden remakes or remasters ofGTAgames unlikely as appetizers for fans beforeGTA 6is done. After all, if Rockstar is really working onGTA 6,it’s probably putting as many franchise resources on that as possible.
RELATED:Will Rockstar Games' Bully 2 Ever See The Light of Day?
The Long Game of Grand Theft Auto
Rockstar doesn’t want to just stop producing content until it finishesGrand Theft Auto 6,of course. It needs a way to amuse fans, to keepGTAin the heads of those fans, and possibly even a gateway for marketingGTA 6once it gets to that stage of development. Luckily, Rockstar already has access to all of those things.Grand Theft Auto Onlineis a very active and well-liked aspect ofGTA 5that’s still receiving solid updates.Grand Theft Auto Online,the multiplayer component of the game, got its largest update ever at the end of 2020 in the form ofthe Cayo Perico Heist.That update came out six years afterGTA Onlinefirst launched, proving that Rockstar is still willing to invest major resources into entertaining fans of the multiplayer mode.
That seems like a sufficient way for Rockstar to put out content while it develops and perfectsGrand Theft Auto 6.Updates similar to Cayo Perico would go a long way to keepingGTA Onlineafloat for a few more years until the game is done. It certainly doesn’t hurt thatRed Dead Onlineis also alive and well, offering Rockstar a second venue to do the same thing. These multiplayer venues were clearly created with longevity in mind, so Rockstar should be able to comfortably coast on regular updates for these modes instead of frantically developing and releasing a new game to make up forGTA 6’s distant release. Diligence, rather than extravagance, is key in keeping Rockstar prevalent while it works on the new game. It’s okay to take a while withGTA 6as long as it’s equally careful to release regular, satisfying content forGTA OnlineandRed Dead Onlinefans to enjoy.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is Inevitable
Grand Theft Auto 5’s ability to keep releasing on new platforms makes it Rockstar’sSkyrim.Whenever the game is optimized for new consoles, it remains a classic.GTA 5is on the way for PS5 and Xbox Series X, which could bring ina few extra players onGTA Online, making for another bump of player engagement. The port to next-gen consoles might actually be a sign that Rockstar really does plan to lean onGTA Onlinefor a few more years. Regardless,GTA 5on new consoles will benefit more from continuedGTA Onlineexpansion than from improvements to the single-player alone.
At the end of the day, though, all the potential uses ofGTA 5are just stalling for the inexorable release ofGTA 6.There’s no way that Rockstar can keep releasing the same game forever. Bethesda proved that with the aforementionedSkyrimwhen it finally announcedThe Elder Scrolls 6was in development. Even if it needs a few more years, fans should take heart in the thought thatGrand Theft Auto 6is almost certainly closer than ever. For now, theGrand Theft Autofanbase will just have to spend a little more time on the franchise’s multiplayer servers to get their fill.
Grand Theft Auto 6is rumored to be in development.
MORE:Which Will Release First: Grand Theft Auto 6, or The Elder Scrolls 6?
