Supposed leaks about Grand Theft Auto VI are always circulating online. But now a reliable GTA 6 report from Bloomberg has surfaced which reveals lots about the much-anticipated game.
The report also highlights positive internal changes Rockstar Games has made. It appears these improvements to company culture may have had quite an impact on the next GTA.
The information comes courtesy of Jason Schreier who has broken countless reliable gaming stories in the past. And it gives us our first real indication of what to expect from GTA 6.
This includes its main character, setting, release window, and more. And it sounds like the next game might be quite different from previous entires in the series.
So, what does the report tell us about Grand Theft Auto VI?
Female Protagonist In Grand Theft Auto VI
Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the report is that GTA 6 will feature a female lead. This has been rumoured for a while and appears to confirm it.
According to Schreier, the character is Latina and actually one of two protagonists inspired by Bonnie and Clyde. The inclusion of multiple main characters makes sense given how successful it was in GTA 5.
Previous whisperings suggested GTA 6‘s dual-protagonists would be on opposite sides of the law. They would be twins, with the female growing up to be a cartel hitwoman and her brother becoming a DEA agent.
GTA 6 Setting and Tone
Elsewhere in the report, Jason Schreier claims that GTA 6 started life as a colossal game – by far the biggest Grand Theft Auto yet. Supposedly it would’ve featured locations in both North and South America.
However, cultural changes at Rockstar caused these plans to be reconsidered. With an improved focus on employee health and wellbeing, Rockstar has scaled down the scope of GTA 6 to reduce development pressure.
The game will now be set in and around Vice City.
Grand Theft Auto VI will also take care not include jokes at the expense of marginalised groups. Similarly, Rockstar employees have struggled to visualise how a sixth GTA will look in the modern world given the divided and, frankly, bizarre state of world affairs and politics.
Schreier believes “Grand Theft Auto VI will feel very different than its predecessor.”
Regular Updates Including New Cities and Missions
While a game set in Vice City may sound a little underwhelming, it appears Rockstar has long-term ambitions to support the single-player portion of GTA 6.
This includes regular updates and fresh content, including new cities and missions.
The Bloomberg report claims Grand Theft Auto VI‘s setting is still huge and will feature more interiors than other titles in the series.
GTA 6 Release Date
Regardless of this new information, no official release date has been confirmed. However, the report noted that industry analysts believe the game will come out between April 2023 and March 2024.
Internally at Rockstar, however, people are skeptical and believe GTA 6 is still “at least two years away”. The game has reportedly been in development since 2014 but progress has been slow.
Despite the frustrating news that there’s still a long time to wait for the next GTA, Schreier’s report highlights significant improvements Rockstar has made for its employees and their work-life balance.
Overtime and crunch is supposedly being kept to a minimum. While this may be partly to blame for the long wait for GTA 6, employee wellbeing should always be the top priority.
It’s refreshing to hear that Rockstar is working hard to finally address the severe criticism it has received over recent years.
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