In the heat of myriad rumors, yet another string of details surfaces on the internal goings-on of Grand Theft Auto 6, arguably the most anticipated experience in the video game industry. A report by Bloomberg, coinciding with a deep dive into Rockstar developmental behavior via Jason Schreier, suggests that the long-awaited GTA 6 release date is on track for as early as Take-Two's 2024 fiscal year.
Bloomberg's report also gives details on both the official GTA 6 location as well as its playable protagonist. According to internal sources, GTA 6 will be the very first in the Grand Theft Auto series to feature a playable female protagonist, a step for many in the right direction for the studio. As has long been rumored, the GTA 6 map will also be based on its Miami setting, coined Vice City after the series's fifth mainline installment.
The report also notes that the map needed to be reeled in due to some extraordinary initial plans to include portions of both North and South America, with project leads aiming to make the GTA 6 map the largest in the series to date. While the map will still retain its Vice City setting and surrounding areas, it will also be updated over time, much akin to the online variety of GTA V, which has seen several overhauls, like the Diamond Casino and Resort and Cayo Perico.
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Schreier, an industry insider behind some of gaming's biggest scoops, the main among them being Rockstar's crunch culture in the run-up to Red Dead Redemption 2's release, highlights in his article that the studio has cleaned up its act. He cites specific instances over the past two years wherein Rockstar has amended its old ways of expressing a so-called "frat-boy culture" through such internal changes as amending its gender pay gap, among many more.
These maturation ideals felt throughout its real-life studio are also embedded in its next title. Several internal developers on Project Americas, the codename for GTA 6, express a new paradigm for the age-old GTA formula, wherein "jokes about marginalized groups" and cop killing may well be toned down. This newfound identity is expressed most keenly in GTA 6's adoption of a female protagonist. Schreier also noted Hispanic background.
Many employees behind some of Rockstar's biggest hits have since left the company, including its co-founder and lead narrative designer Dan Houser. Writer on many of the studio's most notable titles, including Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA V, Houser departed Rockstar in 2020 and last year started his own video game company called Absurd Ventures in Games. Houser's many contributions to Rockstar go unstated, and his exit left many concerned about the future of the studio and its powerhouse IP, Grand Theft Auto. In addition to Houser, Rockstar North's previous president, Leslie Benzies, also left the company and even sued them for $150 million.
The series was last seen with the release of GTA 5 in 2013, which has since been remastered and updated for all possible modern consoles and still reigns as the most profitable entertainment product of all time. GTA Online has proven to be a masterclass in profitability, but to fans, it has grown stale, and the recent death of Red Dead Online is an indication that Rockstar is putting all of its eggs into the GTA 6 basket.
Thus, while much of its previous talent may have long departed, it's clear Rockstar is taking things in a new direction. Whether it will pay off remains to be seen, but Schreier's sources within the company and Schreier himself seem positive about its future outlook.
