5 reasons why GTA 6 shouldn't feature multiple protagonists like GTA 5

GTA 6 has been on the minds of gamers since GTA 5 came out. It has been almost ten years in the making. The community still does not have anything concrete other than the fact that it will be here at some point in time.

Rockstar changed the name of the game when Grand Theft Auto 5 came out. The multiple protagonist approach, coupled with a character switching mechanic, was unheard of.

Rockstar hasn't come out with a single protagonist game since the fourth edition of the series. But even the DLC of that game had two playable characters. Should Rockstar return to a single-player focussed campaign? Only time will tell. Till then, let's speculate as to why they should.

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Reasons GTA VI should have only one protagonist

5) Character customisation

GTA 5 may have broken the mould for playable characters, but games like Cyberpunk and Saint's Row allowed gamers to customise the game's main character.

That is huge as it takes personalisation to a whole new level. Following up after delivering top-notch performances in the current game will be tough as expectations are pretty high. This may be something new [for the series] and could give fans what they want.

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4) Rushed campaign

GTA 5 is monumental in many aspects, but players who enjoy a well written and paced story couldn't relish it to the fullest. How could they? They were busy switching characters half the time.

GTA 5 was great, and all but the story was a bit too short, and half the time, players had to switch to Trevor or Franklin or back to Michael to unlock the story further.

This was alright at the beginning as it felt new, but it became somewhat of a nuisance over time. There is so much to do in the game. Keeping up with the main story while doing all the side stuff for each character is also challenging.

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3) Impactful decisions

The love for the protagonist of GTA 4, Niko Bellic, is never-ending. This comes with good reason as 4 was a fantastic game that showcased some excellent writing, voice acting and storytelling.

Something that stands out in single protagonist games is the choices a gamer makes as the main character. They matter a lot in games like Grand Theft Auto 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, etc.

This lets players get more invested and delve deeper into the story, and truly live it as their own story. There may be multiple ways to get to a certain point (in the story), but how a gamer gets there is entirely up to that individual.

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2) Underdeveloped characters

GTA 5, with its three playable characters and RDR 2 with John and Arthur, might seem similar but are very different. They may be multi protagonist games, but the most significant difference was that gamers could play as either John or Arthur at a certain point in the game.

Their timelines (as playable characters) did not cross. Writers also cannot invest too much time and effort into one character as the others feel bland. This king off happened with Michael in the current game.

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1) Narrative immersion

Narration and pacing are fundamental aspects in games that are driven by stories. The story is what keeps gamers interested and also increases replayability. Some stories are timeless. For instance, fans still long for Tommy and Niko to this day.

Fans remember them because of the connection they had with these characters. The story and narrative immersion possibilities with a single protagonist can never be compared to what a multi-protagonist approach can offer.

Arthur had a massive connection with gamers, and this was not just because gamers played as him for the majority of the campaign.

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GTA 6 going the single protagonist way could also be refreshing after all the multi protagonist games today. It will also decrease the pressure the writers are under to develop another amazing multi protagonist game.