Looks like it was only yesterday when Rockstar Games released their critically acclaimed game Red Dead Redemption 2 and took us into a world of bandits and gunfights. It couldn’t have been that long before Grand Theft Auto 5 came out, which was a huge success, right?
Actually it could have been. GTA 5 has since been re-released to extend its life span, but it was originally released in 2013. A lot has changed since then, and with a new generation of consoles, the PS5 and Xbox Series X, rumors are spreading that the next game from the most famous rock star franchise could be on the way.
We’ve compiled everything we know about Grand Theft Auto 6 here for your enjoyment.
GTA 6 release date
Based on the possible publication dates, it is useful to give them a context. While GTA 5 was released in 2013, Rockstar could not immediately focus on developing a sequel. It seems that Rockstar started working on GTA 6 in 2014, but in the meantime they still had to finish the small matter of Red Dead Redemption 2, not to mention the PC, PS4 and Xbox One versions of GTA 5 and the PC and Google Stadia versions of Red Dead Redemption 2.
All of this requires work, but that’s out of the question now. This is the logic applied to a recent leak, allegedly from a tester who was in contact with GTA 6 during development. This source, which has not yet been confirmed, suggests that Rockstar is aiming for a late release date of 2020 or 2021.
The year 2020 would be frankly surprising at this point – Rockstar would be dropping a big bomb if it released a game of this scale within a year of its announcement. We think 2021 is much more likely, with an announcement about a year earlier.
In fact, recent rumors suggest that the teaser’s announcement for the year 2020 could be close, thanks to some strange artwork posted by the developer and a “private” video lurking on his YouTube channel. It also gives the impression that it will be broadcast in full in 2021 – or even 2022, given the delays of the Rockstar brand.
(1/2)With the help of @SWEGTA's new YouTube video, I finally realized that Rockstar is gearing up to announce something. Now at GTAVINR we sincerely hope it's GTA 6. With a good chance that it will be but putting all the pieces together, a few months ago R* posted a job listing
— GTA VI News & Rumours (@GTAVINR) March 5, 2020
Nevertheless, another core of information has recently emerged in the form of Rockstar North’s tax relief claims in the UK. There is some controversy as to whether countries such as the GTA and Red Dead Redemption 2 can really be described as “culturally British” as the tax system requires, but Rockstar North’s accounts nevertheless show a steady stream of tax relief over the last few years, which, as Tax Watch points out, indicates a steady trend, and some use this as an indication that GTA 6 is underway. That is a bit of an exaggeration because the tax return is very general and does not mention any deductions, but still – we know they are up to something!
GTA 6 console edition
The other important detail of this first major leak around GTA 6 probably concerned the platforms on which it is likely to spread. Apparently GTA 5 was released towards the end of a console generation on the PS3 and Xbox 360 and then re-released with better performance and graphics on subsequent consoles.
But it seems that this pattern will not be repeated in GTA 6. The leak indicates that the game will be available exclusively for Microsoft’s Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X.
As the release of these two consoles is planned for the 2020 holiday season, this is in line with what we have heard about the game’s release window.
However, given that Red Dead Redemption 2 took much less time to find its way to PC gamers than GTA 5 did a few years ago, it would be somewhat surprising if GTA 6 didn’t also find its way to PC within a year of its release.
The GTA 6 game
Waiting for the details of a new GTA game usually involves much speculation: Where will it be placed? While the characters and story are subject to equally interesting details, there is something about the location of the GTA that seems to be the most important decision Rockstar has to make. Whether Liberty City, Los Santos or any other major city, the playing field on which players will be unleashed is a big question mark hanging over the game.
Speculation has focused here, as GTA Online players have recently become convinced that GTA 6 will take place in Vice City, Miami’s popular, neon-lit alternative version of GTA 3. What are the reasons for this project? GTA Online’s latest DLC, Open Wheels, has a racetrack that strangely resembles the outline of a map that would cover both Miami and part of Mexico. The outline looks pretty clear, as you can see in the picture below, but it’s obvious that Rockstar is following its own advice at this point.
It was also suggested that Liberty City (from GTA III), San Andreas (from GTA: San Andreas, natch) and the Midwest could be included, or perhaps all of the above for different sections.
Either way, expect the game to push the limits of what new hardware from Sony and Microsoft can do. There’s no guarantee that the game world will be bigger and more detailed than the GTA-5 card, but that’s how it seems to work anyway.
The history of the GTA 6
The main story of any GTA game has generally been one of crime, but the exact story is still evolving. The crucial element in the story of GTA 6 is that rock star co-founder Dan Houser left the studio in March.
This means that one of the studio’s leading designers and writers has left, someone who, along with his brother Sam, has set the tone of the franchise from the beginning.
For one thing, given the likely timing of the game, there is a good chance that Dan Houser had a say in the script and story before he left. On the other hand, it’s very possible that if he was about to leave, he wasn’t so heavily involved. This means that we could change our vote for GTA 6.
It’s hard to guess exactly how this will manifest itself, but it’s an interesting development for Rockstar, that’s for sure.
We will continue to add details to this summary as new information is released or announcements are made.