As Sony continues its preparations for the next-generation PlayStation 5 console, it seems increasingly possible that GTA 6 could be a launch title. This is based on the fact that the game has yet to receive even a release window for the PlayStation 4 series, with the PlayStation 5 release now looming on the horizon.
Although analysts are yet to agree on a potential release date for the PlayStation 5, it seems quite likely that the machine will arrive somewhere around 2020. This means that the next-generation console from Sony is only two years away, and this is likely to predate the release of GTA 6. With Rockstar continuing to work on the massive release that is Red Dead Redemption 2, we probably won’t see GTA 6 until 2021.
So where does this leave the GTA 6 game? Certainly the previous title in the series appeared on the current gen consoles before it was ported to the PlayStation 4. This could mean that GTA 6 will equally be a PlayStation 4 title initially, with the game later appearing in updated form on the PlayStation 5 platform. This would certainly be logistically easier for Rockstar to deal with, even though it would be disappointing for PlayStation 5 users.
However, a simultaneous launch on both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 systems is possible, and this would enable Sony to create the family feel that it is attempting to deliver with its consoles. Both Sony and Microsoft have the tricky prospect to deal with of selling PlayStation 5 and Xbox Two sequels, while attempting to keep existing users in the loop, with the PlayStation 4 Pro in particular.
This will be a difficult task, but a unified GTA 6 release across the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 family could help to load all bases for the Japanese manufacturer.
In terms of the GTA 6 title itself, Rockstar has already stated that it has 30 years of ideas up its sleeve for the series. Certainly it seems unimaginable that Grand Theft Auto could be put out to pasture any time soon, with the game being hugely profitable and popular. Indeed, GTA Online continues to generate vast amounts of revenue for Rockstar, which is been the primary reason that the GTA 6 game has been delayed so long.
Unfortunately, although many gamers would love to see more single-player DLC content for the existing GTA 5 universe, this is now extremely unlikely, and we shouldn’t expect a huge amount of this content when GTA 6 is released. Rockstar knows very well that its online game is massively profitable, and this will obviously be a major disincentive in terms of producing DLC for its next cab off the rank.
However, we can expect a gameworld that exceeds anything that has been seen in a GTA title previously. It is suggested that it will be possible to fit the game world from all previous 3D GTA titles within the huge universe that GTA 6 will represent. And there is no doubt that Rockstar will also deliver a new GTA Online title, although it is not clear whether there will be any overlap with the existing GTA universe.
This is exciting enough in itself, but Rockstar is also certain to deliver other innovations as well. One suggestion that has been particularly put forward for the PlayStation 5 launch of GTA 6 is that the game could feature protagonists that possess superpowers. This wouldn’t seem to be something that fits into the grounded world of Grand Theft Auto, but it would be a nod to the Saints Row titles, which included similar functionality recently.
However, a more realistic and exciting prospect could be the option to play the GTA 6 campaign in a cooperative mode, or indeed to offer a specific co-op campaign alongside the main game. While the single-player campaign is hugely popular, and certainly not something that Rockstar will ever consider removing from the GTA series, cooperative gaming is also increasingly popular.
It has also been suggested that GTA 6 on the PlayStation 5 could feature some female protagonists for the first time, and this would then mesh neatly with the idea of a cooperative campaign. While the GTA Online title has been hugely successful, one bugbear of playing the game has been the conduct of the online community; which can be somewhat hostile. Although this does fit in with the ethos of the game, it can be irritating at times, and some form of cooperative gaming could change the tone of online play in GTA 6.
Rockstar may also wish to think about the characters that populate the single-player GTA 6 title, particularly how likeable and relatable they may be. Both Trevor and Niko have received varying degrees of criticism for their behavior in recent GTA releases, while Michael was little more than a whingeing middle-aged man. While the nod to The Sopranos was appreciated, it was also a little lumpen and clumsily done.
While Rockstar has always thickened the GTA broth by sticking to a small number of locations, and referencing past titles in all of the games in the series, many users would like to see a completely new location for GTA 6. Certainly the PlayStation 5 would be capable of handling a vast GTA title, and this could prompt Rockstar to deliver a game with multiple cities.
This would certainly fit in with the suggestion that the map for GTA 6 will be absolutely vast, and would been a major factor that Rockstar could promote as an innovation. Delivering something new and fresh with GTA 6 won’t exactly be easy considering the depth and diversity of previous games, and anything that can be promoted as a new feature will be welcome.
While it isn’t guaranteed that GTA 6 will launch on the PlayStation 5, the prospect of a simply huge gaming universe, with the freedom that Grand Theft Auto delivers, on a next-generation console such as the PS5 is hugely exciting.
