Grand Theft Auto 6 faces a more difficult path than one may expect for one of the biggest gaming franchises on the planet. It may have no release date as of yet, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a hot topic among fans. Despite the incredible amount of attention and hype surrounding the game, its pre-launch cycle hasn't gotten off on the right food. Sadly, that may not even be the fault of the game itself. The circumstances surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6 may be the biggest obstacles it needs to overcome.
It has been almost a decade since the best-selling Grand Theft Auto 5 was released, quickly becoming the biggest game of 2013. GTA 5 is the highest-profiting entertainment product of all time, and it left an impact as big as those sales figures would suggest. It quickly became the face of the series, being bigger, raunchier, and more dynamic than any GTA title beforehand. The game was such a success that its companion game, Grand Theft Auto Online, is still receiving active updates as late as 2023. Aside from longtime icons like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, few games can match GTA 5's status.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Has A Lot Of Pre-Release Woes
Grand Theft Auto 6's problems started with its initial announcement. With fans speculating about Grand Theft Auto 6, it can be said that the game's announcement came far too early. By confirming the game's development but showing nothing, it guaranteed that fans would have a long wait before they would see any real progress or trailers. Not to mention, by announcing so far in advance, there is the risk that players may get frustrated with the long wait. While GTA 5's enormous success made it reasonable for Rockstar to alert fans to a sequel, doing so that early in development was likely jumping the gun.
Announcing the game too early likely led to its next set of woes, that being the Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay leaks. Last year, images and videos of Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay were leaked online, revealing several aspects of the game well in advance. While this did confirm some rumors and reveal something for players to expect, it was also a major problem for Rockstar. To add insult to injury, the leaks were likely of an early version of the game that would change significantly before release. The GTA 6 leaks ended up doing more harm to the game than anything due to adding unnecessary scandal.
Despite its production worries, Grand Theft Auto 6's biggest concern may ironically be its wildly successful predecessor. Grand Theft Auto 5 set a high bar, being one of the biggest video games of all time. It is sure to cast a massive shadow over GTA 6 no matter how good the latter game is. Grand Theft Auto 6's protagonists will inevitably be compared to GTA 5's trio, especially since they are the first two games in the series to feature multiple protagonists. Even if Grand Theft Auto 6 is as successful as past games, it will need to vastly exceed expectations to avoid being overshadowed by GTA 5's legacy.
Rockstar's focus on Grand Theft Auto 6 gives hope that the developers' hard work will pay off once the game is released. However, GTA 6 will have several obstacles to overcome before then. The game has a lot to live up to, from its long development time to following a game as famous as GTA 5. The Grand Theft Auto name alone would have made it an anticipated game regardless, but the incredible amount of pressure from multiple sides gives Grand Theft Auto 6 a lot to overcome to achieve its success.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development.