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GTA 6: Release date, protagonists, setting and more

Posted: 28 July 2022 12:45 pm

News

News about the much-anticipated GTA 6 has been elusive until a recent bombshell report hit the headlines.

Grand Theft Auto was a household name even before its most popular incarnation yet – Grand Theft Auto 5, which was released in 2013. In the years since, GTA 5 has become the second bestselling game ever, all the while winning just about every plaudit in the book.

But it's been over a decade and to the chagrin of many fans, all developer Rockstar Games has done to build the universe is release a seemingly endless number of GTA 5 editions. According to a report from Bloomberg, that soon may change.

If these rumours are to be believed, we know more about GTA 6 than ever before. Let's take a look at what we can discern about the game and its eventual release.

Want to get your hands on a next-gen console in advance of the GTA 6? Check out our buying guides for the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X.

GTA 6 delay explained

So what's taking so long? Well, before you get too furious about the wait time, you should understand that a major component of the delays is a positive culture shift at Rockstar.

Game developers have in recent years had a reckoning with completely unsustainable work schedules. Rockstar made headlines when it was revealed employees had been working incredible amounts of overtime during the production of 2018's Red Dead Redemption 2.

According to reports, Rockstar has been making a truly concerted effort to right the ship in this regard. For consumers, that means longer wait times for your favourite games.

Reportedly, another critical factor in the delay is the departure of key figures like co-founder and creative director Dan Houser. The good news for fans is that the company is apparently completely pivoting to GTA 6, with remasters of GTA 4 and the original Red Dead Redemption being shelved in the process.

GTA 6 release date

Reports say that Rockstar plans to release the game by March 2024. It's definitely too early to circle your calendar and there is apparently significant internal skepticism that this date can be met. Still, it's the best indication we've ever received for GTA 6's release.

GTA 6 setting

Another element that has reportedly contributed to delays in production is some overly ambitious plans for the game's setting. An original concept of having large parts of North and South America represented in the game may sound incredible, but unsurprisingly Rockstar has decided it's simply too much to handle.

Instead, the game will follow in the Grand Theft Auto tradition of taking place in a fictionalised version of 1 city. This time around, Miami and surrounding areas will be receiving the satirical Rockstar treatment. The series has already lampooned the area in GTA: Vice City, so we'll have to wait if we'll see the same version in GTA 6.

Rather than simply scrap work that has been done on other cities and areas, Rockstar has plans to introduce these places after the game has been released. If these grand ambitions come to fruition, GTA 6 could go down as a truly remarkable game.

GTA 6 protagonists

If you loved switching between Michael, Franklin and Trevor in GTA 5, you'll be happy to hear there will be 2 protagonists to play this time around. The characters will be loosely based on Bonnie and Clyde, which means GTA 6 will feature the series' first female protagonist.

While the series has thrived on controversy in the past, including a female protagonist has been widely interpreted as the company wanting to catch up with the times and deliver a game that is more inclusive and palatable to general audiences.

The company has taken several steps to make the series less politically incendiary and more aligned with progressive attitudes in recent years, so this move isn't exactly surprising and will please many fans.

Buy next-gen consoles

Let's not even imagine a scenario where GTA 6 takes so long it skips an entire generation of consoles. Here's where you can pick up the latest PlayStation and Xbox offerings so you're all set for Rockstar's next masterpiece.

Want even more info on the latest and greatest in gaming? Head over to Game Finder.

GTA 6: Release date, protagonists, setting and more