Rockstar confirmed a new GTA game was in the works earlier this year. This was reiterated and slightly expanded upon during its parent company’s latest financial results call, during which Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed the game would have a very high bar. “With development of the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series well underway, the Rockstar Games team is determined to once again set creative benchmarks for the series, our industry, and for all entertainment, just as the label has done with every one of their frontline releases,” Zelnick said. It will be interesting to discover if GTA 6 can come close to matching the success of its predecessor. Most of what we’ve heard about the game are rumors and speculation, though it does sound like it will be quite a departure from what we’re used to seeing in a GTA title.
Last month brought news that, for the first time in the franchise’s history, GTA 6 will include a female protagonist, a Latina woman who is part of a “Bonnie-and-Clyde-like” duo, suggesting the game will again feature multiple playable characters. Additionally, we might not see much of the often-controversial humor the franchise is famous for. Rockstar is reportedly going to take a more politically correct stance in GTA 6 and not “punch down” by making fun of marginalized groups. It’s a similar approach taken by the new Saints Row game that arrives this month, one that hasn’t been welcomed by most of the series’ fans. As for when we’ll get to find out if GTA 6 can set an industry benchmark, Rockstar first said that development was “well underway” back in February. Some rumors put its release date as far ahead as 2025. That date does seem unlikely, though Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier previously said not to expect it next year.
