Rockstar wants Grand Theft Auto 6 “to set creative benchmarks for all entertainment”

Grand Theft Auto fans have been eagerly awaiting the next game in the series for a good number of years now, and spotting what seemed to be a teaser in the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy last year only fanned the flames. Since then, Rockstar Games confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 development is “well underway,” though that fact shouldn’t be a surprise. Even so, Rockstar has big dreams when it comes to the next GTA title.

Publisher Take-Two’s Q1 fiscal year 2023 earnings report has been published, and it of course spends some time highlighting the GTA series. “With development of the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series well underway,” the report reads, “the Rockstar Games team is determined to once again set creative benchmarks for the series, our industry, and for all entertainment, just as the label has done with every one of their frontline releases.” It’s interesting that Take-Two repeats the “well underway” phrasing from earlier this year, but the goal of setting new “creative benchmarks” is the highlight here. That’s a rather abstract goal, but a company like Rockstar does have deep resources to make it happen. What those new benchmarks will actually be is something we’ll have to wait to see.

In terms of Grand Theft Auto 6’s offerings, the game will reportedly feature a Latina protagonist as one half of a Bonnie and Clyde-inspired duo. It’s also said to be set in a fictionalized version of Miami — notably, the same setting as GTA: Vice City. This actually prompted a fan poll that asked what era the game should be set in: past, present, or future. For reference, Vice City was set in the 80s.

At the moment, we’re left waiting for more concrete information on GTA 6. Its eventual launch has been the subject of speculation for a while, with some analysts predicting a release date as early as 2023. This is based on an assumption that GTA 6 will release during fiscal year 2024, which runs from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024.