Why remasters of old GTA games would be the smarter choice for Rockstar Games 

Last week, the rumor mill began to churn, and "leaks" of remasters of GTA games of old began to surface. This gave way to much debate and speculation. The prevailing sentiment among the fanbase is that remasters are welcome, but the timing is a little off.

For years, players have lied in wait for the mythical GTA 6, and Rockstar has maintained radio silence on that front for years now. Instead, their efforts have been focused on providing long-term support for GTA Online.

However, that is not entirely true, as, since 2013, Rockstar has put out Red Dead Redemption 2, which is a monumental task on its own as well as Red Dead Online. Supporting a game way past its launch date is a continuous effort, and one Rockstar takes with full seriousness.

However, a mainline GTA sequel is what most fanbase is currently obsessed over, and rightly so, seeing as how incredibly popular the games are.

---

Why remasters of old GTA games would be the smarter choice for Rockstar Games

The GTA franchise has a position in the games industry and pop culture unlike any other. Anything with the "GTA" brand on it is sure to sell millions, if not billions of copies over time.

Yet, instead of cashing in on the brand name, Rockstar has maintained a level of quality rarely ever seen in AAA game development. This has led to a reverence of Rockstar as the titans of the industry.

If the rumors turn out to be true, Rockstar is returning to the well with remasters instead of moving forward with a sequel. There are factors other than financial gain that need to be taken into account.

Given the restrictions brought on by the pandemic, no studio would be working at full capacity and the height of their abilities. It was highly commendable that Rockstar released a full-scale DLC while developers were working from home.

Given just how many talented studios are under Rockstar's umbrella, it makes sense for the publisher to focus on smaller projects at the moment. The priority for Rockstar is not to spread themselves too thin and start tooting its own horn before it is time.

One look at Cyberpunk 2077's launch is enough to realize that much of AAA game development has to do with timing and managing expectations.

Rockstar is biding its time with GTA 6 and playing the long game. They should be afforded the time to do so.