With the next generation of consoles, Rockstar Games is preparing its flagship franchise’s debut on PS5 and Xbox Series X. The rumor mill has been churning for months already forGrand Theft Auto 6, with Rockstar Games retaining its trademark silence. Of course there are some obvious expectations like a Vice City setting, but fans are curious about what new features the next game will have.
Fans eagerly await news of Rockstar Games' next open world epic, but it likely won’t be for a while.Grand Theft Auto 6certainly has to be in development for next-gen consoles, and it’s not coming at launch, so it’ll at least be a couple years until fans get their hands on it. That being said, Rockstar Games is known for evolving just as much as iterating, as each new game has some kind of new gameplay or narrative concept. Here’s a few areas whereGrand Theft Auto 6would likely innovate for the franchise’s next-gen entry.
Expanding Beyond Vice City
Practicallyevery single rumor aboutGrand Theft Auto 6is that the game will be based in Vice City, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. It’s the likely outcome considering the last few mainline games have taken place in the usualGTAcities. Seeing a modern version of the Miami-like city would be nice considering the last game based in the city wasVice City Storiesin 2006. While obviously the game will revisit the iconic Vice City, it would be interesting to see aGrand Theft Auto 5approach and explore further outside the city limits.
Considering the game emulates the wild state of Florida, it’d be interesting to see more regions like the Everglades put intoGrand Theft Auto 6. There’s plenty of potential in the swampy regions for mission and environmental variety, whether it’s taking a fan boat across the marshes or visiting the trailer parks out in the boonies. There’s also the possibility thatGrand Theft Auto 6could take aSan Andreasapproach and include Orlando and/or Tampa as well. That wayGrand Theft Auto 6could include versions of its own Universal Studios or the Kennedy Space Center. ConsideringGrand Theft Auto 5did it with Los Angeles and the surrounding countryside,the same could apply to Vice City.
Changing Up the Multiple-Protagonist System
One ofGrand Theft Auto 5’s defining features was having not one but three different protagonists, each with their own special abilities and respective stories. While the story beats themselves weren’t exactly riveting, swapping between three different main characters added some unseen depth to the main campaign. There were some rumors floating around aboutthe return of multiple protagonists inGrand Theft Auto 6, which makes sense since the dynamic was quite well received.
There’s been divisive rumors on whether there willbe more or less protagonists this time around inGrand Theft Auto 6. One particular rumor that could be interesting was the protagonist dynamic was supposedly going to be a duo, with male and female protagonists. This dynamic could be interesting depending on the relationship of the two characters, whether it’s brother/sister or the two are significant others. A strong relationship between two playable protagonists could make for an interesting story, and could justify swapping between two characters often. Plus it gives a chance to see a closer relationship between the two protagonist compared toGrand Theft Auto 5’s ragtag group.
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More RDR2-Esque Interactivity
Rockstar Games likely wouldn’t include this aspect, but it’d be interesting to see moreinteractivity withGrand Theft Auto 6’s world akin to that ofRed Dead Redemption 2. Mechanically it doesn’t have to be on the same level of miniscule detail, but players having more agency and engagement with the world around them does help with immersion. That being said,Grand Theft Autowas never a game about creating a simulatory experience, whereasRed Dead Redemption 2was all about crafting a relatively accurate depiction of the American West.
Not to sayGrand Theft Autois a casual experience, but the game doesn’t necessarily require that level of detail in tandem with the gameplay it provides. TypicallyGrand Theft Autois all about a campy and thrilling experience, in both singleplayer and multiplayer withthe absurdly endearing world ofGrand Theft Auto Online. That being said, adding more opportunities to engage with the world organically could make for some weird and fun gameplay experiences as well. Talking to random people on the street could lead to stranger missions after making certain being nice or being mean to someone. Or just in general more types of stores or objects that players could interact with.
These are just a few overarching concepts that could, and should, come toGrand Theft Auto 6. The usual suspects like new cars/boats/plains/etc., a larger and more highly detailed city, and a fun story are all expected from Rockstar Games at this point. So long as thegameplay is as consistent asGrand Theft Auto 5, the next entry will be just as popular, but Rockstar is known for taking risks.
