Fan's Rockstar release timeline shows how long it has been since a mainline GTA game

On the back of franchises like GTA and Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar Games has established itself as one of the most dominant forces in gaming.

Bursting onto the scene in the late 90s with two high-energy and violent top-down GTA games, Rockstar would set the scene ablaze as the world entered the 2000s.

GTA 3 would see the company elevate itself from a relatively small publisher to one of the industry's most prominent. The game would set the industry benchmark for several years to come, and its impact is felt even today.

However, that is not to say that Rockstar hasn't been hard at work for two decades putting out other classic games as well. Games like Manhunt, Midnight Club, Bully, and The Warriors have devoted cult fanbases and have achieved iconic statuses in the industry.

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Fan-made Rockstar release timeline reveals a lot about GTA games' trajectories

As a publisher, Rockstar has many studios under its umbrella, and collectively, they have been able to put out several great games over the years.

This great timeline, created by Reddit user u/leandrorhcp, showcases just how busy Rockstar was before the turn of the decade and how the output has been more deliberate since.

This is mainly due to the scale of AAA video game development in current times. While at one time, studios would be able to put out multiple games in the same year, it simply isn't the case today.

Plus, given the developer's issues with crunch and the controversy surrounding it, they would like to eliminate all such possibilities during game development.

Rockstar's most recent game was Red Dead Redemption 2 (Image via u/leandrorhcpm, r/rockstar)

Since 2013's GTA 5, Rockstar has continued to focus its efforts on supporting GTA Online, with amazing title updates, and making a killing on Shark Cards.

Simultaneously, putting out Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018 was a monumentally difficult task, as has become public knowledge since.

Considering the publisher's issues with crunch, the scale of video game development in the modern era, and the franchise's expectations, it is no wonder that Rockstar is playing the long game with GTA 6.