GTA6 and the Inevitable Reality of Delays

Rockstar has delayed GTA6. It’s unsurprising. As games continue to get bigger and gaps between titles longer, this is something we’re going to have to learn to live with.

It’s nothing new. That once-in-a-generation title you’ve been waiting for has been pushed back again. It doesn’t have to be GTA6. Pick a game you’re looking forward to and there’s a good chance it’ll see some sort of delay.

This isn’t a major problem in the grand scheme of things. It’s the famous line about bad games being bad forever. Outside the FOMO, we don’t mind waiting for games that need it. The problem is this: we’re already waiting for all these games.

Look at the hunger around the Oblivion remaster. This is the first ‘new’ traditional Elder Scrolls game we’ve had since Skyrim. It’s a stopgap between now and whenever The Elder Scrolls VI comes out. We’ll probably be waiting a good chunk of time for that.

Grand Theft Auto is an easy target to point at too. It’s been 12 years since the last mainline title, and those hungry for more offline GTA will now have to wait even longer.

For a few titles, that’s just fine. I would say- thanks to the success of GTA Online – that more people are waiting for GTA6 than were waiting for GTA5. That’s just the nature of being one of the most successful pieces of media ever released. Not every game has that kind of longevity. Very few of them have that kind of longevity.

The gaps between titles is actively hurting the franchises we know and love. Gone are the days where a franchise could gradually build over the course of a generation. Mass Effect told its entire story in the span of a few years. The Ezio Trilogy was done and dusted across just a few years.

Waiting for GTA6

There’s no going back to those days, but something has got to give. Games development is too complicated. It’s too expensive. Not enough people want to play enough new games, and not enough people are willing to pay more for the honour. On the other hand, gaming is as profitable as it’s ever been – it just isn’t dripping down to single player games. It’s certainly unlikely that the old days will come back. The kids just aren’t interested.

Before this turns into another edition of “the gaming industry is on its knees”, we should look at the positives. There really are more games to play than ever, and they’re cheaper and easier to access. Most walled gardens have been ripped open. Those who skip between systems can do it easier than ever.

Despite the negatives, it’s still a great time to enjoy this industry. There’s generally high quality titles, and the odd delay doesn’t change that. This is the new normal. GTA6 might turn that around – pull people back into the console ecosystem and the single player bubble. But that’s a lot to put on a single title. When you think of it, it’s little wonder they’re happy to push their release back.