Why is GTA 6 Taking So Long to Come Out?

Rockstar Games has finally done it! They have turned Grand Theft Auto 5 into the new Skyrim. Yes, now you can play this nearly 10-year old game on three generations of consoles dating back to the Xbox 360 and PS3. If we’re lucky, pretty soon we might be able to run GTA 5 on our TI-84 calculators.

When is Grand Theft Auto 6 Coming Out?

Seeing GTA 5 rehashed again on the next-gen consoles is fine and dandy — but it begs the question, where the hell is GTA 6?

While many GTA fans anticipated a long wait after the epic inclusion that was the last game; no one believed we’d go this long without so much as a peep from Rockstar.

The best news came this week when Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive quietly updated the domains for “gtavicecityonline’ and ‘gtavi.com’.Yes, there is hope.

The updates spotted by a Redditor also give credence to a few rumors that GTA 6 will in fact be GTA: Vice City.

Next GTA Game is in Development

Various reports suggest that Grand Theft Auto 6 – or GTA 6 if you prefer – won’t launch for another four years.

Several leakers have posted vague comments about the as-of-yet unconfirmed GTA 6 release date online, and journalists Andy Robinson and Jason Schreier have commented that the rumors are consistent with their own experiences.

Insider Tom Henderson posted a video stating that the game would be released in 2024 or 2025, which Schreier corroborated.

Sorting Through The Rumors of GTA 6

GTA 6 returning us to Vice City seems too good to be true. But the rumor mill is building a strong case for this to be Rockstar’s next outing.

One leaker, who has made successful predictions in the past in regards to GTA 5 online updates, made a now-deleted post on Reddit in regards to GTA 6. User “markothemexicam” said that GTA 6 will be set in Vice City and that an announcement will come in 2021.

 

He also noted that while the PS2 classic took place in the 1980s, GTA 6 will be set in an “unspecified” time period. According to him, the upcoming game will have unique weather systems like “random lightning strikes.”

“THIS INFORMATION COULD BE A RED HERRING TBH. JUST BULLSHIT INFO,” SAID USER “THECRACKJACK.”

The leaker claims to get their information from their roommate, a former Rockstar North employee who was recently furloughed. Many in the comment sections of this post are calling B.S.

The post has since been deleted and the comment section is locked.

How long was GTA 5 in Development?

After the release of Grand Theft Auto 5 in April 2008, work began on Grand Theft Auto 5; full development took about three years. Over 1,000 people make up Rockstar North’s core 360-person team, which uses Rockstar Games’ studios around the world to develop the games.

GTA 5 Character Formula

An early design goal for Grand Theft Auto V was to revolve the story around three protagonists. This departure from Grand Theft Auto’s traditional, single lead character set-up might backfire, according to Garbut. Early game conceptualizations would have told three separate stories through three different protagonists. Story paths will cross throughout Grand Theft Auto IV, thanks to its stories. After some time, the concept evolved into three intertwined stories that intertwined the missions. “The multiple character formula is an integral part of the gameplay as well as the narrative,” Benzies said. Houser said the plot of Grand Theft Auto V is strongly integrated between the characters, and this makes the “meeting points [between their stories] very exciting.”

Twitter Slip-ups for the GTA 6 Soundtrack

There’s one more important piece to sift through, and it comes via Twitter.

Earlier this month, an 80’s electro-synth artist claimed in a now-deleted tweet that Rockstar Games is reaching out to artists for the GTA 6 soundtrack. According to “Vector Hold”, the studio has been looking for synthwave artists for one of the game’s radio stations.

Now if there’s one thing GTA fans know it’s that synthwave + GTA = Vice City. Conjecture? Probably, but “Vector Hold’s” tweet is too tantalizing to ignore.

One thing’s for certain, keep your eye on Rockstar’s social media. Rather, read between the lines of their interactions online. And here’s to hoping that a GTA 6 announcement is right around the corner 🍻