You would think after Red Dead Redemption II came out that Rockstar would give us some indication about what is going on with the next GTA game, but that isn’t the case.
So when can we expected Grand Theft Auto VI?
Not any time soon, if the success of GTA Online is any indicator.
It is the most successful multimedia property ever released and, thanks to perpetual expansions and add-ons, GTA Online has extended the life of the 2013 title well beyond its initial release.
From Take Two’s perspective, why would you mess with a winning formula?
And that’s exactly what they have with the GTA Online game modes and players.
They’re even trying to extend this phenomenon to Red Dead Redemption II and its online game, albeit with less success so far.
But that doesn’t mean that Rockstar is turning their attention to GTA VI any time soon.
On the contrary, the delayed start for RDR’s online mode could give people waiting for a sequel to Grand Theft Auto V false hope.
That’s because GTA’s online mode took forever to become popular but, once it did, the rest is history.
The same could be going on with RDR II and its online game.
To be sure, both games are vastly different and the sky is the limit when it comes to what devs can add to GTA Online.
Rockstar can’t really do that with RDR II and they have to make sure everything fits in with the game’s somewhat earnest tone.
That’s why most online modes so far have focused on shootouts and other diversions you would expect to find in WestWorld or something like that.
The only problem with this approach so far is, again, it is limited. People are only so motivated by a new gun design or a better horse. In many ways, this has plagued the game from the beginning and a clear path forward can’t really be seen by gamers, most of which are pessimistic about the future of RDR II’s online stuff.
Still, most analysts think that Take Two is going to give it more than enough time and money to succeed and this could eat into or limit the development dollars that Rockstar has for a sequel to GTA V.
And, again, there’s no rush to do that – at all.
GTA Online makes mind-boggling sums of money.
There’s also little doubt that, when Grand Theft Auto VI arrives, it will be heavily slanted towards the online component.
This is a given.
Another given is that it will probably be a game for the next generation of consoles. We’re talking the PlayStation 5 and things like that.
Plus, you never know what impact games like The Witcher or Cyberpunk 2077 will have on the future of the Grand Theft Auto series.
One salient complaint that was almost universal among reviewers and gamers alike about RDR II was that it, like GTA V, employed Rockstar’s awkward, old, janky control scheme.
The hope is that, when GTA VI comes, it will be a true evolution of the formula and will hopefully offer content above and beyond what we’ve already got – a tall order indeed.
