Although Rockstar has confirmed that the game is in development, no release date has been given, meaning that gamers likely still have a long time to wait. In the past, Rockstar has typically released its big titles on consoles before releasing PC ports months and sometimes even years later. Although this means that PC gamers have to wait much longer, many consider the wait worth it, as PC ports typically are the most graphically impressive, and they can be customized with mods. However, with Grand Theft Auto 6, it might be better for Rockstar to break their usual habits and release the PC version of the game around the same time as the console versions.
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Everybody Has Been Waiting For a Long Time
GTA 5 has had a miraculously long lifespan. The game was originally released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, and at the time it was a technical masterpiece. Not only does it present the obsessively detailed fictional state of Los Santos for players to explore, but it also allows players to seamlessly switch between three vastly different protagonists at any time.
The singleplayer’s story masterfully weaves the lives of the three protagonists together, and it even gives players options of how to end the game, giving each player a chance to interpret the story in their own way. Not unexpectedly, Grand Theft Auto 5 was a commercial and critical success. It has since become one of the most financially successful entertainment products of all time, in part thanks to Grand Theft Auto: Online which generates enormous amounts of money through its Shark Cards. It has also sold over 160 million copies.
Although gamers have enjoyed pouring over Los Santos’ map and discovering all its secrets, many are more than ready for the next installment in the Grand Theft Auto series. The wait between Grand Theft Auto 5 and Grand Theft Auto 6 will be the longest wait between two Grand Theft Auto games. For comparison, Grand Theft Auto 3 was released in 2001, and the next game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, was released in 2002. Vice City was followed by Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which was released in 2004.
GTA 5 is almost nine years old, and it has yet to receive a successor. When it does arrive, it will be facing a player base that has been waiting for an extremely long time. If Rockstar staggers the game’s release on different platforms and chooses to release the PC version long after the console versions, PC gamers will be forced to wait even longer. While PC gamers have been patient in the past, they may not be so patient this time around since the wait will already be over a decade long. Releasing the game on all platforms simultaneously would help to keep everyone happy.
The Console Shortage Could Continue
The PlayStation 5 and The Xbox Series X/S have been a success for Sony and Microsoft, respectively. The PS5 was Sony’s biggest console launch of all time, and by September 2021, the console had sold 13.4 million units. Although Microsoft is a lot more secretive about its sales figures, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella claims that the Xbox Series X/S is the company’s fastest-selling console ever. It has also been reported that the Xbox Series X/S outsold the PS5 in Europe in February.
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Despite the high demand for the consoles, not everybody who wants one has been able to get one, and this is largely due to the global semiconductor chip shortage. Consequently, a community of scalpers has formed which preys on desperate gamers by selling the consoles at a price far beyond market price. Recent global events, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, could cause this shortage to continue longer than anticipated, as Ukraine produces half the global supply of neon and almost all the semiconductor-grade neon used in the USA.
The continued console shortage could mean that by the time Grand Theft Auto 6 releases, not all gamers who want the current generation consoles will have easy access to them. A simultaneous PC and console release could help alleviate this issue. Although the semiconductor chip shortage also affects PC gamers, PC gaming may be more accessible due to the release of more budget-friendly graphics cards, including the RTX 3050 from Nvidia which has a retail price of $249 and the RX 6500 XT from AMD which has a retail price of $199.
Due to semiconductor chip shortages and scalpers, not all gamers have been able to make the leap from the eighth-generation to ninth-generation consoles, and some of them have even migrated to PC. A release on all platforms would ensure that the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto 6 achieves maximum impact and no gamers are left waiting longer than they have to.
The strong desire for Grand Theft Auto 6 can be seen by just how many rumors surround the game. For years, gamers have been speculating about where the game will be set, who the protagonist will be, whether there will be multiple protagonists again, and what time period gamers will play in. For decades, the Grand Theft Auto series has provided some of the most immersive open-world games in gaming, so it is only natural that expectations are high for the next entry. Although Rockstar typically makes PC gamers exercise patience, perhaps it would be better to do a simultaneous release this time around, especially when the wait has been so long.
Grand Theft Auto 6 has yet to receive a release date.
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