GTA VI's release could be a good thing for the video game industry

A lot of recent communication in the video game industry has painted GTA VI somewhat as the big bad wolf. With the game supposedly coming at some point in 2025, various publishers are running for cover, hoping their games don’t clash with the blockbuster behemoth from Rockstar Games. It’s an understandable fear, but could the release of GTA VI be a good thing for other games on the market?

I think, if you’re in direct competition with the next Grand Theft Auto, then there’s going to be a struggle. However, the only game you could reasonably compare to GTA VI, this year, is Mafia: The Old Country, as it’s also a crime-based story-driven action game. And given that 2K, who are publishing the Mafia title, are owned by Take-Two who also own Rockstar Games, it’s unlikely the two will be competing for players.

Beyond that, there’s no real competition out there, which is great for Rockstar Games, and it should ensure that other games thrive within their own genres because, despite the huge fanbase of Grand Theft Auto, there are millions of players who won’t care about it.

Rockstar Games

The question then becomes “Will GTA VI benefit other games?”, and I’d like to think that it will. Perhaps not in 2025, if it doesn’t launch until the holiday season, but a game of this magnitude will cast out ripples throughout popular culture and the public. Those who perhaps consider themselves ‘casual’ gamers will flock to their console, or perhaps even splash out on a new one to beat FOMO. And once they’re in the hobby, there are other games ready to swoop in once the adventures in Vice City have ended.

Of course, the benefit could simply land back at Rockstar Games’ door, as people who enjoy GTA VI and are after something with similar scope will be urged to consider games like Red Dead Redemption 2. There is a chance, though, that players new to games, who have bought into the hype, much like they would for a huge cinema release, would jump over to other genres and spheres.

The only issue would be the pricing barrier for entry - it’s not like the cost of a cinema ticket can be compared to that of a video game. However, GTA VI, should the hype be worthwhile, will showcase to the world not only how far games have come, but what games can offer over other mediums of entertainment.

Rockstar Games

Maybe I live within my own echo chamber, but I don’t believe we live in a time or society that lambasts video games as tools of the devil, or something that is corrupting the youth. There’s more fear that microtransactions will bankrupt a parent who doesn’t pay attention. So, having a game out there that will bring millions of eyes to the world of games can only be a good thing.

It’s unlikely that we’ll see a direct correlation between GTA VI arriving and a game like Balatro or Astro Bot getting a bump in sales. Franchises like Assassin’s Creed, The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, and Ghost of Tsushima, could very well see new players looking for a narrative feast. If publishers play it smart, they can pull players away a month or so after launch with enticing looks at games that offer a somewhat similar depth.

Sony Interactive Entertainment/Ghost of Yotei

If you look in the right places, gaming is a collaborative effort, with players happy to recommend new games to those who have loved something similar. While, yes, GTA VI is going to soak up a huge player base and a monumental amount of money, in this generation of consoles, it’s one game that can be finished, leaving players wanting more. Plus, it will have longevity, much of GTA V’s sales came after countless updates and ports to newer systems and PC.

Not everyone is going to buy it at launch, and that’s the perfect chance for publishers to come in with deals or new content to push their narrative-driven titles to a hungry audience. Even the effect of having a big game like that out there is going to push some to seek out more games, even if they have no interest in crime sprees. It’s going to generate a lot of buzz, and it’ll be a good time to be a player.