Development of Next Grand Theft Auto Confirmed to be ‘Well Underway’
It’s been more than eight years since GTA V dropped.
Grand Theft Auto V was originally released on Sept. 17, 2013, and more than eight years and two console generations later, it remains the most "current" GTA game available. Gamers have been wondering where on earth Grand Theft Auto VI is for literal years now, and with such a long period of time without a release or any sort of indication that a follow-up would be coming at all, you'd be forgiven for suspecting that a sixth Grand Theft Auto just isn't going to happen. That's not really far-fetched considering V had reportedly accumulated $6 billion in total revenue by 2018 and continues to generate $2.5 million every day as of last year.
As it turns out, however, GTA fans will indeed have something to look forward to because developer Rockstar Games has officially announced that a new installment to the series is, in fact, being worked on.
"With the unprecedented longevity of GTA V, we know many of you have been asking us about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series," reads the Rockstar Games news post. "With every new project we embark on, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we have previously delivered—and we are pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway."
Optimistically, the use of the words "well underway" implies to me that the company has been working on the game for some time and that it isn't something Rockstar started preliminary meetings about just yesterday. Unfortunately, that's all we know about it right now. No screenshots, no release window, no details on what the next GTA will actually be like. It's pretty safe to assume, though, that the game will involve the grand theft of multiple automobiles, and perhaps even a helicopter or two.
As for a Grand Theft Auto game that you won't have to wait quite as long to play, Rockstar is re-releasing upgraded versions of GTA V for the current-gen PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Series S consoles on March 15. GTA V's second-ever console generation upgrade will bring the title up to date with 4K resolution, 60 fps graphics, better textures and draw distances, HDR, ray-tracing for more true-to-life lighting, quicker load times, 3D audio, and haptic feedback integration with the PS5's DualSense controller.
For those who have been playing Grand Theft Auto V since the beginning, buying what is fundamentally the same game for a third time now may make you feel like a bit of a sucker but, if it's any consolation, just know that your dollars are indeed funding the development of an upcoming and presumably truly next-gen GTA VI.
Got insider info for the author about the next GTA? You can reach them here: chris.tsui@thedrive.com
