Summary
Back in the day, it seemed like a new GTA game hit the shelves every other year—and that’s because it did. The time gap betweenGTA IIIandGTA: San Andreaswas only three years, withVice Cityin between. So, why has it been a full 11 years sinceGTA Vwas released, yet we still don’t haveGTA VI?
Rockstar Pursues Perfection
When Rockstar Games releases a new game, it sets a new industry standard for other publishers to follow, not just for that year but for the entire console generation. Each entry in theGrand Theft AutoandRed Dead Redemptionfranchises features groundbreaking physics, stunning graphics, intricate storytelling, and an expansiveopen world.
Everything that Rockstar does has to be perfect, right down to the minutest detail, before the publisher deems it ready for consumers.
Perhaps no one has explained Rockstar’s philosophy better than Strauss Zelnick, the chair and CEO of Take-Two Interactive (the company that owns Rockstar Games). Inan interview, he said: “I think that’s a challenge that the folks at Rockstar face every time there’s a new iteration ofGrand Theft Auto. It needs to be something you’ve never seen before, and it needs to reflect our feelings aboutGrand Theft Auto, which is a big challenge for the team. Now, Rockstar’s answer is just seek perfection; seek nothing short of perfection, and we’ll get there.”
Each GTA game has pushed the envelope and managed to be bigger and better than its predecessor. Plus, GTA games are surprisingly complete at launch, which can’t be said for a lot of other games. Even theirPC portsare well-optimized, though theytake an extra year or twoto come out (on top of the “standard” console wait).
Other than the disappointingGTA Definitive Trilogyremasterthat dropped a few years ago, Rockstar Games has never released a “bad” or unfinishedGTAgame. Even theDefinitiverelease was finally fixed for good in 2024.
The Success of GTA V and GTA Online
It’s hard to overstate the financial success ofGTA V, which includesGTA Online. The game made$8.9 billionin revenue as of March 2024 and the online mode alone generatedhalf a billionin profit in 2023. To put things into perspective,Cyberpunk 2077, another high-budget open-world game, “only” made$752 millionin the four years since its launch.
The financial success ofGTA Vis largely due tomicrotransactionsin the online mode and the franchise’s immense popularity which sees it frequently appearing in “top played” lists on all platforms.
SinceGTA Onlineremains a major revenue stream for Rockstar, the publisher has every incentive to keep the game alive and feeling fresh, at least until it is replaced byGTA VI.
Resources that could’ve gone towards sequel development are instead used tomaintainGTA Online. From a business perspective, this makes a lot of sense. It’s safer and easier to keep current paying customers happy while taking the time to make GTA VI perfect. It doesn’t hurt that Rockstar is effectively printing money whileGTA Onlineremains so popular, either.
The Scale and Scope of GTA Games
Fans have come to expect a lot fromGTAgames, perhaps more than from any other franchise (even titans of the field likeMario). It can’t just be an evolution of the previous entry, it has to be a revolution in game design and it has to arrive with next to no flaws. Something like this takes a lot of time and money, particularly as games are always expanding in size and scope.
GTAgames are not just about the never-before-seen visuals and intricate animations typical of anAAA gameof this scale. It’s all the little details that truly bring them to life. The games are known for their dynamic weather and day-night cycles that impact systems like the number and type of pedestrians driving and walking or which wildlife you may encounter.
The radio stations feature a rich selection of tracks, there are many hidden side missions to discover and activities to partake in, not to mention all the easter eggs, silly NPC interactions, and many other details that add depth to the world. The writing and voice acting are top-notch, too.
Ever-Increasing Development Challenges
It takes a lot of time, money, and highly-skilled creative individuals to create aGTAgame. While most games focus on one or two standout features, such as the story or combat, GTA games strive to recreate the real world and a story to go with it.
It’s also worth noting that the game industry as a whole has grown substantially over the years, which is evident in the budgets ofGTAentries.San Andreasreportedly had a budget ofunder $10 million,GTA IVaround$100 million, andGTA Varound $265 million. Want to guess how much GTA VI will cost to make? Some leaks point to$2 billion. That’s several times GTA V’s budget, even after accounting for inflation.
Since so much money is at stake and expectations are so high, there’s a lot of pressure on everyone working on the game. Once an official release date is set, the pressure mounts further, leading to hectic work schedules and “crunch” to meet the deadline. The team working onRed Dead Redemption 2had to do100-hour weeksto ensure the game was ready on time.
Waiting a decade for a newGTAentry isn’t fun, but it’s not all that bad, either. Rockstar’s games are of exceptional quality and remain so even years after they’ve come out. If history is any indication,GTA VIwill likely be a massive success, so I don’t mind the wait. Plus, there are loads of othergames to play while waiting forGTA VIin the meantime.
