A trusted source on Grand Theft Auto (GTA) game leaks, Tez2 on Reddit, has revealed that the much-anticipated GTA 6 may not be released until the holiday season of 2024 or even later in 2025.
The game’s release date has reportedly been pushed back several times over the past few years. Tez2 speculates that the developer, Rockstar Games, may cut some content from the game to release it earlier and then release it later as downloadable content (DLC).
This would be a significant departure from GTA 5’s rollout, which did not receive any new single-player content after its initial release nearly a decade ago. Tez2 believes that Rockstar will likely provide official information on the game’s development before the end of this year.
According to reports, the reason for the long wait for the release of GTA 6 is because it will only be launched on current-gen consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
The parent company, Take Two, wants to ensure that there is a large enough install base for these systems to accommodate tens of millions of units and make the game a huge success.
This is in contrast to the release strategy for GTA 5, which was launched on the previous generation of consoles (PS3 and Xbox 360) before being re-released on the PS4 and Xbox One. GTA 4, which was released early in the PS3 and Xbox 360 lifecycle, sold significantly fewer units than GTA 5 and even less than its predecessor, GTA San Andreas, which was released at the end of the PS2 and Xbox lifecycles.
Take Two aims to make GTA 6 a massive commercial success, much like its predecessor GTA 5. To achieve this goal, the game will only be launched on the latest console hardware (PS5 and Xbox Series X and S), in the hope that there will be a significant number of these consoles in the market to increase sales.
However, the possibility of launching GTA 6 on Xbox Game Pass, a subscription-based gaming service, could impact the game’s sales. Nonetheless, this seems improbable since it would require Microsoft to acquire Rockstar Games, which is unlikely to happen. In other news, Xbox Game Pass is offering a diverse range of games this month, including the popular fighting game Guilty Gear Strive, which caters to a variety of gamers.
To ensure that GTA 6 is released on time, Rockstar is reportedly considering dividing the game’s content into post-launch DLC. This would provide a clear roadmap for future content updates and make it easier for Rockstar to meet any internal deadlines for the game’s release.
Tez2, a well-known Rockstar leaker, had previously hinted that GTA 6 would expand over time, potentially with the addition of new cities after launch. This strategy is similar to what Rockstar has done with GTA Online, which has seen regular updates and new content released over time.
Rockstar could take an approach that involves creating content for both the single-player and multiplayer modes of GTA 6, and the addition of new cities could achieve this. These new locations could provide players with fully playable experiences in the online portion, as well as offer unique stories and missions. This strategy would enable Rockstar to maintain the high success rate of GTA Online while also attracting new players who may not be interested in multiplayer.