Do you have no idea why news about GTA 6 sent your loved one into a spin this week? Do you have no idea what GTA 6 even is? Conor Dunbar explains.
In case you missed the news this week, Rockstar Games has announced the trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto will be released in early December.
A post by Rockstar Games President Sam Houser announcing that news soon became the most-viewed gaming tweet in the social media app’s history. At the time of writing, it has been viewed 161.6 million times and has received more than 1.5 million likes.
For members of the 1News audience not glued to their game consoles, this announcement is a big deal.
GTA V, the previous game in the franchise, was released over a decade ago and stands as one of the most successful games ever created.
With more than 190 million copies sold, it holds the second-highest sales record in video game history, and it's generated $US8 billion ($13.6 billion) in worldwide revenue.
Official information about GTA 6 has been scarce, but a massive data leak has given fans an idea of what to expect.
Approximately 90 videos and images from an in-development version of the game surfaced on a forum in September 2022. The leaked footage, totaling just under an hour, spread like wildfire on the social media timelines of your nerdiest friends.
As well as offering a look at work-in-progress gameplay demonstrations and level layouts, it also confirmed a rumour - the inclusion of the Grand Theft Auto series' first playable woman protagonist, named Lucia.
“We are extremely disappointed to have any details of our next game shared with you all in this way,” Rockstar said in a statement at the time.
“We will update everyone again soon and, of course, will properly introduce you to this next game when it's ready.”
Here’s what else we know about GTA6 (or can wildly speculate on):
How long has this game been in development?
GTA 6 reportedly began development back in 2014, but Rockstar only officially acknowledged the game’s existence in February 2022. So, either 10 years or just under two years, depending on who you believe.
What platforms will it be released on?
There’s no saying for sure, but PS5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X are all safe bets.
Rockstar has previously staggered releases across platforms, so there’s no promise everything will be supported from day one.
How much will it cost?
It still costs $69.99 for a copy of GTA5 on the PS5. I’d imagine GTA6 will be more than that. These days, a game of this quality usually releases its base edition for $120. We’re likely to see a deluxe or premium edition from day one too.
When is it out?
That’s a tough one to answer.
Other publishers have announced their game too far out from release with disastrous results, and Rockstar isn’t going to want to wade into that.
Bethesda Games revealed The Elder Scrolls 6 back in 2018 to the joy of millions of fans, me included. However, it’s not due to be published until 2026. That kind of killed my buzz.
With such a precious product, Rockstar will want to avoid the same mistake so they can maximise their profit while the hype train is still chugging.
I predict the trailer will release on Rockstar Games’ 25th anniversary on Sunday, December 10. That, of course, is just a guess. But I do know it will draw a lot of attention.
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