Grand Theft Auto V was first released back in 2013 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Since then, Rockstar only released one new title, Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018, while continuing to update Grand Theft Auto V by way of a steady stream of new GTA Online content. That's about nine years without a new Grand Theft Auto title.
Rockstar Games seems to have been quietly working on Grand Theft Auto VI behind the scenes, because a significant deal of new information came out today courtesy of a new report by Bloomberg.
According to the report, Grand Theft Auto VI will feature the first-ever playable female protagonist in the 3D-era of the series. The premise behind the game is a whole Bonnie and Clyde situation, but no details about the "Clyde" character have been shared yet. The female character will be Latina and the game itself will take place in a fictional version of Miami, Florida plus surrounding areas.
Grand Theft Auto VI has supposedly been in development now since about 2014. However, progress on the new title has been slower than expected due to a variety of factors. One factor is the studio's new commitment to having less crunch and more sustainable work schedules. Another factor is the departure of various high-level employees such as when Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser left in early 2020. There are also the obvious issues related to trying to develop a major title during periods of lockdown due to Covid.
The improvement to working conditions at Rockstar also goes hand-in-hand with other changes at the studio aimed at being more culturally sensitive. The GTA franchise is really no stranger to parodying American culture, which itself has become "a satire of itself." However, the franchise has often been criticized for their forced attempts at humor that use offensive, often cringey, jokes targeted at marginalized groups and misogynistic treatment of women. The inclusion of a playable female protagonist is one step towards trying to learn from past mistakes.
The company already hinted at this new cultural shift when they removed some transphobic content in the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S re-re-release of Grand Theft Auto V. Bloomberg also notes that the company canned a planned "Cops 'n' Crooks" mode following the murder of George Floyd.
Given these development challenges and changes, Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be out sometime before March 2024. However, some developers speaking with Bloomberg say that they are still skeptical that this 2024 release date can be hit.
Bloomberg notes that Grand Theft Auto VI was originally envisioned to include large areas of South America in addition to Miami and other North American locations. These plans were dialed back a fair bit. At release, the idea is to have Miami and the immediate surrounding areas accessible. As time goes on, Rockstar will apparently add more areas and cities after the game is launched.
Earlier this month we learned that Rockstar Games were shifting more of their staff over to Grand Theft Auto VI development and leaving Red Dead Online out to dry.
(Image via Wallup)
