GTA 6: Should Rockstar Games opt for an episodic release structure?

GTA 6 is, without a doubt, one of the most highly-anticipated games from Rockstar Games in the history of the studio. This is not new for the developers as each of their releases carries an enormous level of expectations.

Rockstar Games have been able to maintain a level of consistency that is extremely rare in the Triple-A games industry. The GTA brand is one of the most commercially successful properties in all of entertainment.

Therefore, each decision taken during development has a huge commercial and creative impact. One of the trends that have recently emerged in the industry is to release games through an episodic structure.

This is a structure that Rockstar Games are familiar with due to GTA Online's periodic content updates. Instead of rolling out the game at once, studios roll out regular content updates and DLC over a period of time.

Would an episodic release structure work for GTA 6?

Games like Hitman have been largely successful, and the episodic release structure has been extremely well-received by fans despite early scepticism.

One of the rumours that floated around the internet regarding GTA 6 was that Rockstar Games were planning to release the game in "chunks" or "episodes" to encourage a more sustainable financial model.

The episodic release structure caused a lot of debate within the GTA fanbase, with some fans being excited with the prospect while others dismissed it entirely.

Here we look at the primary Pros and Cons of an episodic release structure.

Pros

Hitman's episodic release structure

The episodic release structure benefits the game as players will have more time with a certain section of the game to experience it fully, encouraging replayability and allowing players to take in the world of GTA one section at a time.

This would also allow Rockstar Games to frequently add more content to the game over time and attract new players with improvements and additions. As seen with GTA Online, the constantly evolving experience has been able to attract new fans with each subsequent update.

Perhaps, rolling out a few missions at a time will also serve the narrative of GTA 6 with players being able to play out a long, ambitious narrative over the course of multiple months.

Cons

(image credits: escapist magazine)

The cons are also just as obvious as the pros, as the appeal of the GTA franchise might take a hit with an episodic release structure. The feeling that players do not have the full game when they make a purchase creates a sense of discomfort.

Players won't even know the game's quality until more episodes are released. Therefore, paying full price for a game they're not sure they would like is a bit of a leap for the players.

The episodic release structure also opens up all kinds of possibilities for Rockstar Games to charge extra per episode. While the developers have rarely ever devolved to practices such as these, the prospect itself is very dangerous.