Grand Theft Auto 6 is the next installment of Rockstar Games's highly successful franchise.
The rumor mill has been speculating on details of the game, painting an intriguing picture of what fans can expect.
Here are some of the most interesting tidbits surrounding GTA 6, from the possible release date to the potential setting and inclusion of a female protagonist.
'GTA 6' Release Date Set?
The release date of GTA 6 is arguably the most anticipated piece of news, but a definitive release date has not be set. However, that doesn't prevent speculation.
Based on the launch dates of the two preceding GTA games, GTA 4 in 2008 and GTA 5 in 2013, and Rockstar devs focusing on the 2017 release of Red Dead Redemption 2, the upcoming title most likely will hit the shelves in 2018.
'Grand Theft Auto 6' Rumored To Star A Female Protagonist
GTA 6 may put players in the shoes of a female protagonist, with rumors likely sparked by Rockstar Games cofounder Dan Houser.
"In the future, could we do a game with a lead female character? Of course. We just haven't found the right game for it yet, but it's one of the things that we always think about. It didn't feel natural for this game but definitely for the right game in the future — with the right themes, it could be fantastic," he said back in 2013.
Sure, that's far from a guarantee, but a lead female character is under consideration for future games, which may very well be GTA 6.
More than that, GTA 5 has been widely criticized for how it depicts women, and featuring a female lead could be just the thing to put an end to the whole issue.
'GTA 6' Setting: San Andreas, Vice City, London, Or Tokyo?
The other big question aside from the release date is, where will GTA 6 be set? The short answer is, it's still up in the air. Of course, that doesn't bring anything to the table, so let's go with the long answer.
In an interview with Digital Trends back in 2012, former chief of Rockstar Games in North America Leslie Benzies thrown in the idea of merging all the GTA in one game, saying that Vice City could make a comeback as a setting in the future.
"It is always a possibility. There are a few references to the city in our current-gen GTAs so it is part of that HD universe, and it is certainly somewhere we would love to revisit. However, Vice City, perhaps more than any other GTA game, was as much about the era as the setting. Miami in the 1980s is so iconic it would feel strange to revisit the city in a different time period," he said.
On an interesting note, Benzies is pulling something off like Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, departing from a gaming company to start his own studio, and he's somewhat taking the abovementioned idea with him, which is evidenced by his project titled "Everywhere."
Just to be clear, that doesn't mean Rockstar Games isn't allowed to use anything like it, though.
What about across the pond? In London, to be exact? Well, Houser says it's not happening — for a GTA game, at least.
"I think for us, my gut feeling is, GTA London was cool for the time, but games were more limited then. These days I think we would love to set a game in the UK, set in London, whatever, but I don't know if it would be a GTA game," he told The Guardian in an interview back in 2013.
In other words, Rockstar Games could launch a game set in the United Kingdom, but it won't be a GTA title. Fans will have to settle with the 1999 GTA: London 1969 for a GTA in England.
Last but not least, it's worth mentioning that Tokyo was in the cards, but the developers have already scrapped the idea in March 2016, despite trademarking the name GTA: Tokyo.
Needless to say, it's recommended to take these bits of GTA 6 rumors with a grain of salt since we haven't heard something solid from Rockstar Games, after all.
At any rate, what do you think of our speculation? Feel free to hit us up in the comments section below and let us know.
