The impact of Rockstar Games cannot be understated. FromBullytoMidnight ClubandL.A. NoiretoManhunt, it has had quite a few hits under its belt. However, Rockstar slowly transitioned into focusing on its two biggest franchises:Red Dead RedemptionandGrand Theft Auto. It may be somewhat heartbreaking sometimes to seewhat titles Rockstar Games has left behind, but it’s easy to see why.
Grand Theft Auto 5is the most profitable entertainment product of all time, and that’s not hyperbole. Thanks to its fun single-player content and addictiveGTA Onlinecomponent (and the continued support thereof),GTA 5has topped sales charts continuously since its original release 8 years ago.GTA Onlinehas bred a community, expanded content, led to serious RP servers, and more, as many continue to flock to it to this day.
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On the other hand,Red Dead Redemption 2is slightly different in this regard. While it does haveRed Dead Online, which has come a long way since it launched, it’s not as popular as the base single-player game.Red Dead 2is hailed as another major notch on Rockstar’s belt, but that’s because players keep returning for the single-player content. Multiple playthroughs lead to new discoveries, mysteries are continuously investigated and some are even resolved, and all the small details makeRed Dead 2’s single-player much more involved thanGrand Theft Auto 5.
With these two distinct, yet successful approaches, there are some big questions aboutGrand Theft Auto 6fans won’t see answered for a while. Will it focus on online, multiplayer content likeGTA 5, seeking to replicate that success? Will it shiftGTAto a moreRed Dead-like experience? Could Rockstar even try to manage both?
Grand Theft Auto 6 Development and Single-Player
The fact that next to nothing is known about GTA 6 makes it hard to determine. Reportedly, however, there is one key thing known about its development: it’s incremental. To correct its crunch-focused workplace culture,GTA 6will reportedly release moderate-sizedand be continuously expanded in a service-style model.
This approach inherently makes long-form storytelling as seen inRed Dead 2less likely, per Arthur Morgan actor Roger Clark. Imagining a piecemeal release ofRed Dead Redemption 2’s story makes why somewhat obvious, as the time between could make each story beat have less and less impact due to the wait. With this in mind, there’s almost no way thatGTA 6’s story would be similar toRed Dead 2, but this model would still work for a game likeGTA 5in terms of style and tone.
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Thankfully, whileRed Dead 2’s story itself is a clear draw to the game, there are other factors to consider. The community-oriented mysteries and new discoveries may actually benefit from incremental development; Rockstar could introduce things that won’t be solved right away, keeping players coming back. Rockstar could add in or change mysteries as the game proceeded, assuming these reports are correct. Indeed, by incrementally releasing new single-player content,GTA 6could be more likeRed Dead 2in this regard, but there’s a catch.
Rockstar Games hasn’t really focused on single-player DLC in quite some time. Not that this method is necessarily DLC, per se, but that once it finishes with the planned single-player content, that begs the question if there will be enoughmystery to keep players coming back likeRed Dead 2.On the other hand,Grand Theft Auto 6will almost certainly include its ownGTA Onlineadditions or growth. Well, unless Rockstar intends to supportGTA Onlineas its own thing for years to come—what with its upcoming standalone release and all.
Balancing GTA Online and GTA 6 Content
In this case,GTA Onlinecould become theCall of Duty: WarzoneofGTAcontent.GTA 6assets, stories, characters, and more could be used to expandGTA Online,while lettingGTA 6be its own thing. This may very well slow releases down somewhat, but at the same time, this could makeGTA 6more likeRed Dead 2in its focus on single-player and community interactivity per design.
There’s almost no wayGTA 6will tell the same style of story asRed Dead 2, but there are certainly lessons in how to cultivate a successful single-player story. If Rockstar setsGTA Onlineoff on its own, focuses on incrementally expandingGTA 6, and incorporating the elements ofRed Dead 2that added to its success, then it’s possibleGTA 6has a similar impact toRed Dead 2, while sacrificing none of the elements that make it successful in its own right.
Grand Theft Auto 6is reportedly in development.
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