Bloomberg hit hard this Wednesday by revealing new exclusive information about GTA 6. The game will be set in Miami and will include a playable female character for the first time. We will explain everything to you.
[Mis à jour le 27 juillet 2022 à 17h26] GTA 5 has sold more than 155 million copies since its release in 2013. One of the best-selling games of all time has definitely propelled its development studio, Rockstar, into the highest spheres. of the video game world. A studio that has become one of the mainstays of the industry and seems to have evolved accordingly. At least that’s what Bloomberg revealed to us when they published an article on recent changes within Rockstar Games and their impact on the development of GTA 6. In addition to that, we finally know the map on which the game will take place , and one of the playable characters.
Rockstar changes, and so does GTA
First of all, let’s start by giving credit where it may concern for this lovely information about the current state of development of GTA 6, Jason Schreierwho reveals to us the extent of his knowledge in an excellent article by Bloomberg. The respected journalist details his interviews with various employees and ex-employees of Rockstar about the working atmosphere within the studio. Fervent follower of the “crunch culture” (practice in a development studio consisting in asking employees a lot of working time before the release of a game), the American-British studio therefore seems to have completely reviewed its management practices. for 4 years. No more improbable schedules of employees on the sidelines of the release of a game, hello a rigorous, stable and professional company.
Her employees even describe her as “changed from a male fraternity to a real and serious businessBy parting ways with various managers and other leading minds after the harassment controversy that rocked it in 2018, the studio has become an exemplary place, often trying to stay decent in a world sometimes too similar to their series of dystopian games. So, again in 2018, after the George Floyd case, the studio removed Cops vs. Bandits game modes from its online mode and took a no-nonsense line on inclusivity, The fight against discrimination and against homophobia, decisions that would apparently translate into play in GTA 6, which will be the first Grand Theft Auto to offer players the possibility of playing a female and Latino character.
In addition, these directional changes on the part of the management of Rockstar Games also have quite serious consequences on the development of GTA 6. The game is indeed quite late, the fault of a healthier and less taxing work environment, a blessing in disguise for many studio employees who welcome this new work culture. In any case, as regards a possible release date for GTA 6, Tom Henderson and other reputable insiders are now working on 2024 – 2025. We will therefore have to wait a little longer before rushing into the streets of miami (and yes!) with his racing car. On the other hand, there is no doubt that the game will only be released on next-gen consoles.
A GTA solo campaign also means meeting different characters, not always very recommendable, or almost never recommendable. Narrow and intertwined destinies in ever more epic and wacky scenarios. And the sixth part of the franchise does not intend to change formula. As for the characters present in GTA 6, we don’t know much about them yet. The only information that has leaked out about the content of this next installment is that one of the main playable characters will be a woman of Latin origin. She will be the second half of a couple of protagonists inspired by Bonnie and Clyde.
It is always thanks to an article by Bloomberg that we have learned new information about the nature of the plot of GTA 6. Besides the fact that one of the main characters is a woman of Latin origin and inspired by Bonnie & Clyde, we now know that the The action of the game will take place in Miami. The US Coastal City will be the primary location to visit in-game, with more cities being added to it gradually over time. We thus sense Rockstar’s intention to eventually make GTA 6 a game service, with various additions of more or less paid content throughout its existence. But that’s just a guess of course.
Rockstar spoke, and Twitter ignited. Through a blog note dedicated to the future of GTA Online and relayed by several journalists including @Nibel on the platform of the little blue bird, the studio has confirmed that GTA sixth of the name is in development. A news which, without surprising the majority of the world of gaming, was greeted with jubilation since it is the first time that the company officially confirms the arrival of this monster of gaming. Taking a closer look at the lines above, Rockstar confirms that “active development of the next entry in the Gran Theft Auto franchise is well underway.” and that the studio “[est] looking forward to sharing more news on this when [il] will be ready.“Crucial information, which remains very meager with regard to a possible exit window.
This is the news that has ignited the web for a few months. Jez Corden, respected editor of Windows Central discussed a possible takeover of Take Two Interactive, the mega-studio behind 2K Games and Rockstar Games by Microsoft. The computer giant’s hunger seems insatiable, as we recall, Microsoft recently acquired the catalog of Zenimax Media, and Bethesda games for 7.5 billion dollars. We can quote Jez Corden:
“A few months ago I heard from two of my trusted industry sources that the next major studio or major publisher to be acquired would be Take Two. But that was a long time ago. At the same time, a distributor like Take-Two would take a long time to acquire. But I don’t know, I don’t have any supporting evidence.”
Be careful however, the journalist himself reminds that this information is not confirmed, and in the case of an acquisition of this size, it is better to take this information with tweezers. Because if Microsoft buys Take-Two, it’s a whole section of the video game industry that would fall under the Xbox umbrella. We are talking about 2K, Red Dead Redemption, Bioshock, Mafia and especially Grand Theft Auto, the most famous and lucrative license in the history of video games. Again, difficult to imagine such a scenario, and also difficult to think that, if this acquisition is confirmed, Microsoft would deprive itself of the huge market that is Playstation players for the biggest licenses of Take Two Interactive.
It’s all Twitter that is in turmoil, and for good reason, Grand Theft Auto is one of the most legendary franchises in the history of video games. As a reminder, GTA 5 recently passed the 140 million copies sold mark since its release in 2013, and is still living its glorious days thanks to a GTA Online multiplayer mode frequently refreshed by numerous additions of content. To say that GTA 6 is expected would be an understatement, only Rockstar remains particularly quiet about it. However, according to Tom Henderson and Jason Schreier, it appears to be scheduled for release in 2024-2025.
In addition, the American firm had to review its development methods due to a recent controversy surrounding its practice of “crunch”. This is a time of intense pressure experienced by the employees of a development studio, usually in order to meet the deadlines imposed by the schedule of a new release. This is also why Rockstar seems to have lowered its ambitions with GTA 6, especially in terms of map size. It’s also partly why we shouldn’t expect a release before 2024-2025. A more flexible schedule which should make it possible to better accommodate the development teams, and to ensure a release only on next-gen consoles. We must also keep in mind that this decision makes sense from a marketing point of view. Today the console market is in transition between two generations, and suffers from major supply problems. That’s why waiting for the massive release of new consoles in living rooms around the world before releasing a title like the next Grand Theft Auto seems like a reasonable idea.
Still according to Henderson and Schreier, GTA 6 should take place in a modern world, which contradicts previous rumors about a universe set in the 70s and 80s. Indeed, a contemporary period would correspond more to the ambitions of the online mode, offering many possibilities for collaboration and partnerships with celebrities or labels, like GTA 5 Online. Another recent news concerns the GTA 6 map. There should be several different locations, including a remastered version of the legendary Vice City. This map would be medium in size and should be “scalable”, being able to change over events and post-launch content additions. We also know that this sixth installment, like its eldest, will include several playable characters, including a woman, a first in the hitherto exclusively male universe of Grand Theft Auto.
Although its release date is relatively distant, it would not be illogical to expect GTA 6 to be released only on next-gen consoles. It is very likely that by 2024, these consoles will be ubiquitous in the market, and therefore that this will be the largest audience possible. It should also be remembered that the technical characteristics of the Playstation 5 and the Xbox Series X | S seem much more suitable for a title as ambitious as the next Grand Theft Auto. As for a release on PC, it is very likely although it could take place one or more years after the release on consoles, if we rely on the model of GTA V.
To conclude this article, it is necessary to remember that for the moment Rockstar remains completely silent about the next Grand Theft Auto. Tom Henderson and Jason Schreier may be extremely reliable sources, but no official announcement has yet come to corroborate their allegations. On the other hand, as we have so often been able to repeat about rumors in the world of video games: there is rarely smoke without fire. We will therefore have to wait a little longer to find out more about GTA 6, and before a possible release by 2025.