We’re previous the primary quarter of 2024, and regardless of some large launches, with various but to come back, it nonetheless looks like we’re biding time till subsequent yr. Not as a result of which may be when Hole Knight: Silksong finally ends up lastly launching (I hope), however as a result of variety of confirmed blockbusters to sit up for. Monster Hunter Wilds, Dying Stranding 2: On the Seashore, Deadly Fury: Metropolis of the Wolves, and, after all, Grand Theft Auto 6.
Since its reveal on December fifth, 2023, the trailer for Rockstar North’s subsequent open-world magnum opus has amassed over 185 million views. That’s already manner increased than the +109 million for Grand Theft Auto 5’s first trailer launched 12 years in the past and a special stratosphere than Purple Useless Redemption 2’s first, which has over 24 million views since debuting some seven years in the past. After years of rumors, followers lastly showcased simply how excited they had been for precise gameplay, leaks be damned.
Whereas “rabid” could also be extra apropos, it highlights that the Grand Theft Auto franchise is as in style as ever. To that finish, nevertheless, Grand Theft Auto 6 might probably find yourself disappointing some followers, as unlikely because it sounds. No, not essentially due to high quality – Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has already talked about how Rockstar is “looking for perfection” and the way, regardless of the doubtless “inherent rigidity” between releasing one thing and making certain it’s excellent, the developer “errs on the facet” of the latter. As at all times, it pays to see the ultimate consequence, however given the corporate’s observe file, it’s unlikely that Grand Theft Auto 6 received’t have the polish and manufacturing values anticipated from Rockstar.
Nevertheless, it received’t essentially have all the things that each participant might need. It sounds cheap to anticipate that, however that’s the consequence of Grand Theft Auto being such a preferred franchise. Everybody has totally different expectations for what it ought to provide. Those that spent years taking part in GTA On-line’s races might anticipate the driving side to vastly enhance indirectly.
In the meantime, gamers who spent an absurd period of time heisting or simply taking part in deathmatch would probably anticipate a drastic overhaul of the fight and capturing mechanics. Simply because Grand Theft Auto 5 was an enormous industrial and important hit, it doesn’t imply many gamers received’t anticipate the sequel to go above and past that.
Perhaps it’s unreasonable to anticipate the earlier title and even Purple Useless Redemption 2 to be the baseline. Bear in mind the tales of crunch and Rockstar obsessing over each minute element – like deciding within the last yr of improvement that each cutscene ought to have black bars on the highest and backside? Unconsciously, followers will anticipate one thing higher or, on the very least, a sequel that leverages the learnings of earlier titles with at this time’s know-how to create a brand-new expertise.
A sequel that’s additionally enjoyable and gives dozens of hours of compelling gameplay with beautiful consideration to element, well-made facet missions, a superb narrative, photorealistic visuals, distinctive facial animation – the listing goes on. Some might anticipate it to be an correct rendition of Florida, whereas others anticipate precise myths and legends to be integrated indirectly or one other. Something much less received’t essentially destroy the expertise, however once more, your mileage might range
In fact, there are different areas the place Grand Theft Auto 6 might find yourself falling barely beneath expectations, notably with the size. Insider Tez2 reported final yr that the event group might minimize some parts of the sport to package deal into post-launch DLC to keep away from additional delaying the discharge. That is according to a earlier report about new single-player content material coming after launch, together with new instanced cities.
Curiously, one “leaker” has alleged that the map is about twice as massive as Los Santos, with three main cities, 4 sub-cities and smaller surrounding areas, with 70 % of the buildings reportedly explorable. The leaker was, hilariously sufficient, pals with the son of a Rockstar Video games worker and showcased some precise in-game footage earlier than the primary trailer dropped. You must take the opposite particulars with some grain of salt, particularly the half about focusing on a Fall 2024 launch.
However, this isn’t the primary time we’ve heard about Rockstar reportedly needing a smaller scale for Grand Theft Auto 6. When he was nonetheless with Kotaku, journalist Jason Schreier reported in 2020 how the developer was trying to make it a “medium-sized sport” to keep away from crunch. Whereas nonetheless providing a large open-world expertise, it might reportedly be much less formidable than the group initially supposed. It could allegedly then add new cities and areas in post-launch updates, and although plans can at all times change, seeing this echoed once more in newer insider experiences signifies it could be the case.
Will the standard vs. amount debate win out in that regard? Time will inform, however personally, even when it doesn’t have the identical scale as its predecessor, a extra fleshed-out metropolis with fewer actions which can be extra fleshed out alongside well-developed tales and characters is preferable. Once more, your mileage might range, which once more reinforces the truth that you may’t please everybody.
Even when we low cost all the above, there’s a lot of gamers who will likely be upset regardless – the PC neighborhood. Grand Theft Auto 6 is launching on Xbox Collection X/S and PS5 first. Rockstar didn’t point out a PC model, and whereas the idea is that it might launch roughly a yr after, as with Grand Theft Auto 5 and Purple Useless Redemption 2, it’s not a assure.
There’s additionally the query of efficiency. On condition that extra big-budget current-gen titles go for 30 frames per second, particularly these with open worlds, Grand Theft Auto 6 might observe the identical pattern. It wouldn’t be shocking from Rockstar – the developer is understood for pushing the boundaries on graphical constancy and choosing 30 FPS, as seen with its final two titles.
Its whims can at all times range – Grand Theft Auto 5 lastly ran at 60 FPS on the Xbox Collection X and PS5 through a re-release, however Purple Useless Redemption 2 stays locked to 30 FPS, and there’s no signal of a patch or remaster. If the rumored PS5 Professional launches subsequent yr, Rockstar might probably launch an replace so as to add a 60 FPS mode. Nevertheless, that leaves default PS5 (and Xbox Collection X, overlook S) homeowners within the mud.
It’s one factor to launch a sport after which replace it for extra highly effective consoles a number of years down the road, however telling current-gen homeowners that their platforms received’t be the perfect place to expertise one of the crucial anticipated video games ever? Not one thing that might go down very properly, and more likely to create some method of disappointment.
As at all times, we have to await extra particulars from Rockstar. The scant minutes of gameplay footage it’s proven have solely piqued curiosity additional, however specifics – from what you are able to do in-game to its body fee and determination on totally different platforms – are nonetheless required. No matter whether or not it has all the things that caters to each single fan, outdated or new, on the planet, Grand Theft Auto 6 will be appreciated and loved for what it does proper, above all else.
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