The hottest topic on GTAForums right now is none other than GTA 6 Speculation & Discussion. There’s “nothing” out there to officially confirm or deny anything, but that doesn’t keep our chins from wagging about all of the possibilities around the corner.
With nearly 100,000 cumulative posts on GTA 6, you could be wondering how we can talk for England about “nothing”, but GTA is made in Scotland, so it is in fact quite easy.
Here we thought we’d “sound off” with our own opinions about what could be heading our way. Join us in the GTA 6 Forum or on Twitter to add your own into the mix.
Location
Where do you think R* could take us next?
uNi: Everyone seems to be rooting for Vice City, and although that sounds likely to happen, I think both current tech and R* experience would allow us to a broader map. Either re-imaging VC bigger than it was in past titles or include more locations. I’m hoping for the latest, whatever the main city ends up to be.
Spider-Vice: A world like the one in Ubisoft’s The Crew could be a great inspiration. Reduce the distance between states but have several cities coexist with some filler in the middle. It seems like something that people would still like – main GTA cities then a filler sorta like what Blaine County was in GTA V.
Kirsty: I feel like we’re going to see a size and density like no other for GTA VI. We’ve always had multiple “locations” within each map as Rockstar have evolved, but the vastly different north and south regions in GTAV and then the completely separate map of Guarma in RDR2 only tells me that we’re heading further than we’ve ever experienced. A lot of fans are desperate to see Vice City re-created in the modern era, and spreading things out to include a New Orleans style city to the west and the island of Cuba to the south, like a modern RDR2, it could be just perfect. I’d love to see Vice City again but I’m not 100% sold yet on why it’s supposedly so likely. What about San Fierro and Las Venturas? On a personal level, I’m ready for Rockstar to write some new history in an all new gritty city.
Era
What timeline do you think GTA VI will be set in?
uNi: People are expecting to see a return to the 80s in case it is Vice City, and I wouldn’t mind that but I see no reason it wouldn’t work in a modern setting. As for personal preference I’d like to see their take on near future, think it could work well, their take on America.
Spider-Vice: VC in a modern setting would definitely work but there isn’t much in the way of drug smuggling and such happening nowadays like there was in the 80s, not to mention all the movie inspirations. I feel like they would have to focus in other businesses and such in a modern era VC. A parody of the Ultra Music Festival or something would be funny to see. Regardless this is Rockstar so they could shift reality however they wanted, could be a reimagined current-era Miami for all we know…
Kirsty: There’s something more “raw” that a game set in the past could offer us. I don’t see us going to the 80s again though, as much as I love the music. The 60s or 70s could offer us something dark, but we’ve had the mafia. The prohibition era of the 20s might be a new take on that. I would personally prefer the game to have just a chapter or two set in the past, instead of the whole thing, there’s just too much fun to have parodying modern society. The continuity of GTA Online depends on it, IMO.
Protagonist
What do you want the next protagonist(s) to be like?
uNi: Not to bothered, R* usually does a pretty good with their main characters. That said would not mind to see their take on a female protagonist, Sadie turned out great.
Spider-Vice: Not too bothered either. Could be either male or female, non-binary, whatever fits the era and their story. I do think Rockstar could try taking some risks if it’s a modern-day game, and it would be very interesting to see a female character.
Kirsty: Female-identifying. I just think it’s time.
Platform
What platform(s) do you think it will release on?
uNi: On the PlayStation5 first, then simultaneously on PC and Xbox series X.
Spider-Vice: I feel like this time around Rockstar isn’t going to limit themselves by releasing on the current generation. RDR2 seems to have some signs that they’re pumping things up to the max with the RAGE engine, so I’d expect we’ll see something truly spectacular but only for next gen. It really depends… They could just sell extra eye candy on next gen as the ultimate version and still release on current gen I suppose. As for a release – PS5 and Xbox Series X simultaneously first, then PC a few months later. GTA no longer needs large gaps between console and PC, as RDR2 didn’t.
Kirsty: I don’t think Rockstar are about to omit any platforms, so “all of the above”? GTA V still looks glorious on console, RDR2 looks even better, and of course PC trumps everything, so I can only imagine the scale of detail that GTA VI will have on the upcoming new generations.
Online
What do you think multiplayer will be like?
uNi: Pretty much the same, it is not my favourite take on multiplayer but seems to do well with the community.
Spider-Vice: Depends on what they do with the single player. If there’s passing time like RDR2 (prologue vs epilogue), they could make it so you could choose in which era to play, or play in both simultaneously but with different fortunes and assets, and even characters. Would double the progression possibilities. Agreed that it will likely still be called GTA Online and become its own big thing, maybe you would even be able to switch between both versions of GTA Online (Battlefield games for example let you select which Battlefield game to play within another’s menu).
Kirsty: A bigger and even wilder GTA Online, pretty much the same formula but the limitations of the past removed, and hopefully lots of feedback from the community taken into consideration. I think it’ll keep the same name and just keep expanding with the franchise, meaning we can play across each game until we reach the limit of the platform, kinda like how some GTAO content eventually stopped coming to old-gen consoles and only current-gen got them. Since we’re close to a new generation, a similar format might come into play.
Announcement & Release
When do we think R* could announce and release GTA VI?
uNi: It feels like we should had gotten one earlier in the year but with the COVID-19 deal, everything seems to being placed on hold or pushed back. Although it is one of the most expects games, people need to understand it is also a business, and yes they could announced it but then there’s the pressure to commit to a release and further push backs, those have costs in the real word.
Spider-Vice: Definitely sounds plausible that we might get something this year. Rockstar even teased “a few surprises” in their 2020 opening post, but I think the pandemic has pushed back all kinds of plans. They could still pull it off somehow, so we’ll see. I think it’ll be even more simple than GTA V’s. Imagine Rockstar dropping a “VI” on Twitter and saying nothing for days or even a week. Ha!
Kirsty: I feel like we’re going to get an official “in development” announcement sometime this year, and then I would bet on a release date later down the line for 2022, with room to push it back to 2023 if they need it. GTA V will be 10 years old at that point, so it won’t only be fans asking what’s next for the company. Though the current unfortunate COVID-19 situation could push an announcement into 2021.
Leaks
Do you believe in any of the “leaks” about GTA VI?
uNi: No. There are a few infos around that do sound credible, but we won’t be able to verify them until we know more about the game, whenever that is. 99% of the info circulating at the moment is just plain ridiculous and made up.
Spider-Vice: The Project Americas “leak” that surfaced would be a very interesting take on GTA and it could have some level of plausibility (or even truth who knows?) to it. I think we will definitely have multiple cities, and South America is a setting Rockstar could explore in a pretty neat way.
Kirsty: Everything and nothing, just for the funsies.
Until next time, folks…