GTA 6 release update has fans worried
We've got good news and bad news when it comes to Grand Theft Auto. While the good news is that Rockstar's automotive chart-topper could be back sooner than expected, there are rumours GTA 6 won't be landing in its full form as it revs up in the gaming garage.
It's been a whole decade since Franklin, Michael, and Trevor shot up the industry and helped the fifth mainline game become the most profitable entertainment product of all time. Long before Rockstar announced GTA 6 last year, the various leakers and "insiders" spoiled the surprise ahead of time.
As things come into view for GTA 6 and we learn more through the odd official titbit, it's those on the inside that are giving us a real picture of how things are shaping up. Now, one of GTA's most trusted insiders has a worrying update.
What's going on with GTA 6?
Posted on the GTA Forums (and then shared to Reddit), Tez2 claims that GTA 6 is racing toward a 2024 release window. While it's great news we could be playing the next chapter next year, it comes with a caveat.
Tez2 adds that because Rockstar is pushing GTA 6 toward this exact release date, it might not release in its full form. It's unclear what this means, but Tez2 writes that cut portions could be added back in via a DLC.
It's all speculation for now, and Tez2 warns that this supposed "Holiday 2024" release date could slip into 2025...and probably will. Apparently, Rockstar is trying to get staff back into the office post-pandemic but might be struggling to retain talent.
DLCs are the norm these days, with Nintendo popularly adding fresh content via the likes of its Smash Bros. Fighters Pass and the recent announcement of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC. Rockstar is also no stranger to this, with GTA Online launching as a bare-bones experience that's continuously been updated.
Fans react to GTA 6 announcement
As you can imagine, the idea of rushing a release didn't go down well with worried players who've seen how things panned out with Cyberpunk 2077, and more recently, the likes of Hogwarts Legacy and Scarlet & Violet.
One said the DLC plan sounds like a red flag, while another added, "If content is cut from the original game and then later released as DLC, that doesn't really count as DLC, IMO."
A third concluded, "If Rockstar releases GTA 6 unfinished, then I feel like that would solidify the belief of many that Rockstar isn't the same company it once was. Heck, it would be Cyberpunk's launch times a billion, in terms of uproar."
Last year, there were reports that GTA 6 has already downscaled, and while it'll still likely be a supersized game from Rockstar, all signs point to some rumbling troubles behind the scene. Then again, it fits the notion that GTA 6 is being accelerated for release.
As with all these things, Rockstar is being notoriously cagey about the whole thing. We're left scrawling through the depth of Reddit, Twitter, and 4chan for leaks with even the slightest bit of credibility. Will we be sitting down to GTA 6 in 2024? Watch this space.