Grand Theft Auto 6 is formally launching later this fall on Xbox Sequence X/S and PS5. It’s going to possible be one of many largest recreation releases in historical past. Tens of millions of gamers are planning to purchase the Rockstar’s open-world crime sim whereas inevitably ignoring different video games. That’s unhealthy information for publishers and builders engaged on new video games or huge updates for live-service titles. In consequence, a few of these firms are reportedly creating plans to keep away from GTA 6 fully.
On March 25, reporter Christopher Dring—over at his lately launched e-newsletter and podcast The Recreation Enterprise—reported that he spoke to senior executives at a number of giant online game publishers about GTA 6’s upcoming launch, and the way it will impression their plans and selections. Whereas all of them had barely completely different solutions and ideas, the final consensus was that no person needed to straight compete with Rockstar’s juggernaut.
“We don’t need to be anyplace close to [GTA 6]. We’re working up a number of completely different plans for our titles,” mentioned an unnamed boss at a large writer.
One other exec at a giant recreation firm advised the outlet that it’s “powerful on the market,” even with out GTA 6 round. “It’s immensely troublesome to seek out free time for brand new video games to shine,” they mentioned, and added that free time is “the actual shortage for us, not cash.”
A 3rd govt, in cost of a giant European writer, mentioned “We don’t need to launch simply earlier than or simply after the sport. If it arrives in late October, meaning you both must launch early—which lots of people appear to be doing with the latest glut of summer time launch dates. Or go later, placing you up towards the Black Friday gross sales.”
This isn’t the primary time we’ve heard stories of publishers being nervous about GTA 6 and altering plans to keep away from it. In February, EA boss Andrew Wilson alluded to Grand Theft Auto 6’s launch, saying, “There could also be some issues occurring within the 12 months that will trigger us to suppose in a different way about our launch timing.” In that very same month, Recreation File’s Stephen Totilo reported that he heard “everybody’s ready for Take-Two and Rockstar” to choose a launch date for GTA 6 earlier than anybody commits to a fall launch.
Stay service devs are nervous about Grand Theft Auto 6
And its not simply publishers nervous about GTA 6’s large impression on the business. The Recreation Enterprise stories that individuals engaged on two well-liked live-service video games are watching intently and can possible push updates again to get out of Rockstar’s approach.
“GTA 6 is mainly an enormous meteor and we’ll simply keep away from the blast zone,” mentioned one studio exec. “We are going to nudge our releases again or ahead three weeks to keep away from it. After all, the issue is everybody goes to do the identical. So three to 4 weeks earlier than or after GTA 6, you’re going to get a load of video games dropping content material in what they consider would be the protected zone.”
One other dev advised the outlet that there’s “no level swimming towards the present” and that they’d simply must “win gamers again” as soon as all the thrill began to chill round GTA 6.
Maybe essentially the most irritating drawback publishers and builders are dealing with is that it’s doable Rockstar delays GTA 6 into 2026. If that occurs, meaning all of the video games that moved out of 2025 to keep away from it will find yourself leaping proper into its blast radius, until they shortly delayed once more or can transfer releases dates ahead. Based on the Dring, publishers he spoke to have a number of plans in place simply in case.
“If we transfer out of 2025, what if Rockstar do, too?” mentioned one exec. “Will now we have time to push our recreation up? Or will now we have to delay additional? It’s tense.”
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