3 potential reasons Rockstar could be delaying GTA 6 announcement

GTA 6, if and when it does eventually come out, will be a monumental global event of unimaginable proportions.

Rockstar Games has built on the GTA franchise's initial success in the early 2000s into the massive industry juggernaut that it is today.

For a game to be as talked-about as GTA 6, a publisher has to be doing something right, given just how much free publicity they're able to afford with zero marketing. Rockstar's output, as a publisher, has been sporadic, to say the least, with the last generation of consoles seeing just one proper release (Red Dead Redemption 2) and the other being a PS4/Xbox One version of GTA 5.

However, the lack of output isn't a signal of complacency or lack of ambition but rather a dedication to quality of the highest order. Rockstar is not in the business of putting out "okay games," as the developer likes to go all out and put out nothing less than a cultural event and a phenomenon of a game.

With that in mind, here's a look at some potential reasons why Rockstar is sitting on the GTA 6 announcement.

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Three likely reasons why Rockstar could be holding the GTA 6 announcement

#1 - Remaster of the PS2 Trilogy

There have been rumors on the internet surrounding a complete remaster of the original GTA PS2 trilogy (Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, San Andreas). Given the popularity of these games, even in 2021, it wouldn't be that huge of a leap to presume that this idea might be very appealing to Rockstar.

Take-Two Interactive's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, was asked whether a remaster of old games could be on the cards. While neither confirming or denying these speculations, he cryptically acknowledged the appeal of older games in the franchise.

In the same call, he would also mentioned how Rockstar typically doesn't see remasters as "simple ports." Instead, a remaster should ideally change the game experience in a big way and provide a substantial upgrade.

So if a remaster of the PS2 trilogy is on the cards, it might be a while before Rockstar announces a GTA sequel.

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#2 - Focus on Grand Theft Auto 5: Expanded and Enhanced Edition

Rockstar kicked off 2020's summer with a blockbuster announcement of GTA 5 arriving on next-gen consoles as an "Expanded and Enhanced Edition."

What enhancements and expansions are on the cards are still to be discovered, as all fans have now is a tentative release period and a new trailer.

The game is scheduled for release in the second half of 2021 and will also see GTA Online become a standalone title. Seeing just how monumentally successful GTA Online has been, it only makes financial sense for Rockstar not to halt that momentum and support the game with more content and updates.

Therefore, the company's current focus seems to be on building on the momentum of GTA 5 and Online, and a future game announcement is secondary.

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#3 - Managing expectations

As recent releases such as Cyberpunk 2077 will illustrate, the AAA game space is an unbelievably high-stakes tightrope act. Managing the fanbase's expectations is key to not only having hype leading up to the release but also getting positive word of mouth upon release.

No amount of marketing and post-launch content can genuinely make up for a botched release, and Rockstar is not in the habit of chasing its own tail. Therefore, announcing the game when the devs are satisfied with the current state of the game, and are ready to bring the public in, should be the developer's priority.

Many concerns have been raised by fans, such as Dan Houser's departure, which could mean a drop in quality. This is why Rockstar is rightfully playing this one close to the chest and only makes announcements when the game is ready to be shown.

Note: This article reflects the author's personal views.