Within the ever-evolving panorama of gaming, few franchises command the extent of anticipation, hypothesis and fervour as Grand Theft Auto.
The beloved sequence, with its mix of open-world freedom, satirical storytelling and jaw-dropping immersion, has carved an indelible area of interest within the hearts of avid gamers worldwide.
Now, as we discover ourselves reflecting on a notable milestone – the 10-year anniversary of 2013’s GTA V that quietly handed a couple of days in the past – it is changing into more and more inconceivable to disregard Rockstar Video games’ silence on the blockbuster title’s sequel.
So simply precisely what’s going on with GTA 6? Let’s think about the rumours, hypothesis and hints, and discover every thing we all know (or do not know) in regards to the enigmatic sequel, together with its setting and characters. Right here is every thing it’s good to learn about it.
What’s GTA 6?
Rockstar formally introduced {that a} follow-up to 2013’s GTA V was in improvement in February 2022 after years of rumours and leaks.
Although the sport – the eighth foremost Grand Theft Auto recreation and the sequence’ sixteenth total – is predicted to be a follow-up to GTA V, it is price noting that it has not been confirmed to be known as GTA 6, and on the time of writing stays an untitled Grand Theft Auto recreation.
Shortly after the discharge of GTA V over a decade in the past, Rockstar North’s president, Leslie Benzies, hinted that the corporate had “some concepts” for the subsequent instalment within the sequence, sparking early hypothesis and pleasure amongst followers.
5 years later in 2018, it was reported that the upcoming recreation was code-named “Challenge Americas”, and was rumoured to be primarily set in a reimagined Vice Metropolis and an extra South American setting. It was additionally prompt that the sport would characteristic the sequence’ first feminine playable protagonist.
In April 2020, additional stories indicated that the sport was in its early levels and could be a “reasonably sized launch” that may broaden over time, with a map that might evolve and alter with common updates, just like that of in style video games like Fortnite.
When it confirmed that improvement was “effectively underway” Rockstar declared it supposed to “considerably transfer past what now we have beforehand delivered”.
What’s been confirmed?
One of many extra notorious moments within the GTA 6 story got here in September when 90 movies, amounting to a 50-minute glimpse into the work-in-progress world of the sport, have been unleashed upon GTAForums by a consumer recognized solely as “teapotuberhacker.”
The hacker additionally claimed to have infiltrated Rockstar’s inner Slack teams, and stated they’d gained entry to helpful belongings within the type of supply code, belongings and inner builds not solely of the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI but additionally of its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V.
Jason Schreier, a good gaming journalist writing for Bloomberg Information, sought affirmation from dependable sources inside Rockstar, who verified the authenticity of the leaked footage.
The Guardian, in its personal report, revealed that the footage spanned numerous levels of the sport’s improvement, with some clips courting again roughly a yr.
The movies themselves confirmed a up to date Vice Metropolis, and featured animation and gameplay assessments, stage format and bare-bones character interactions between would-be protagonists, Jason and Lucia. The twin protagonists have been seen within the footage infiltrating a strip membership and executing a heist in a diner.
Nevertheless, the leaked footage confronted a barrage of unwarranted criticism from on-line customers, who wrongly believed that the simplified and unfinished take a look at graphics and artwork belongings seen within the clips have been consultant of the ultimate product.
The leaked content material was removed from being a real illustration of what would be the eventual completed recreation, and quite a few builders rallied to Rockstar’s aspect, sharing work-in-progress footage from their very own blockbuster merchandise and shedding gentle on the iterative nature of recreation improvement.
When will it’s launched?
And actually, that is all we all know in regards to the recreation as of this second. No launch date for GTA 6 has been confirmed by Rockstar, which is but to supply even the slightest of hints as to after we would possibly see the sport on store cabinets.
In fact, that hasn’t stopped keen followers arising with their very own theories, and lots of gamers suppose that, 10 years on from the preliminary launch of GTA V, its follow-up may very well be arriving sooner quite than later.
Current weeks have seen GTA 6 trending on social media, fuelling hypothesis and pleasure amongst followers. That is all all the way down to an alleged recording that includes the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the father or mother firm of Rockstar Video games.
Based on the purported recording, the Take-Two boss appeared to verify launch plans for GTA 6, and prompt that not solely would the sport be formally revealed on 23 October, it may very well be launched roughly 12 months later.
Extra stories additionally proposed that the disclosing of GTA 6 would possibly happen as early as 4 October, although that date has come and gone and we have heard no official phrase from Rockstar.
Followers with a eager eye famous that Rockstar Video games had shunned pinning a tweet for over two weeks, a departure from their common social media exercise, main some to invest {that a} important announcement from the developer was imminent.
Including to the intrigue, sure Rockstar web sites had been quickly taken down for upkeep, additional fueling the hypothesis of an impending announcement.
The demand for data and updates on the brand new GTA stays excessive, and it is clear that Rockstar Video games has efficiently cultivated a devoted and enthusiastic fanbase that eagerly awaits any morsel of details about the upcoming title.
However that has additionally manifested as rising frustration from followers stemming from Rockstar Video games’ extended silence on the matter.
Infamously, a person making reference to the sport garnered important media consideration resulting from a sequence of disruptive incidents throughout reside exhibits, together with storming the stage at Gamescom’s Opening Evening Stay in August.