Featured Image Credit: Take-Two Interactive
2026 is a stacked one for video games, with the likes of 007 First Light and Marvel's Wolverine coming after Resident Evil: Requiem already took a shotgun to the competition. Of course, all of these are destined to be run down and left as roadkill when Grand Theft Auto 6 races into our lives later this year.
It's been 13 years since GTA V blew up the record books, and as the world of gaming braces for the next outing, we're not sure anyone is ready for what a cultural phenomenon GTA 6 is going to be.
Dual protagonists Jason and Lucia are sure to shoot up a storm as we head back to a modernized Vice City, and with GTA known for its irreverent humor, don't act too surprised when President Ronald Flump and Avon Hertz (a potential Elon Musk parody) all have a part to play.
Rockstar Games has been praised for moving with the times and finally cutting free from the PS4/Xbox One era of consoles to give us a wholly next-gen game on the PS5/Xbox Series. Even though there are fears we won't be hitting that sweet 60fps, console sales are expected to boom, as well as expectations that the game could reach $1 billion in pre-orders alone.
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Considering GTA 6 is thought to have spent billions in production, it's good news for Rockstar and publisher Take-Two Interactive that the hype train is full of passengers.
Sadly, some of us could be locked out in the cold while others are sunning themselves in Vice City and sipping margaritas in their floral shirts.
Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick has explained why PC players won't be able to jump into GTA 6 at the same time as console owners. This comes despite him admitting that PC sales can account for up to 50% of the market among bigger releases, and let's be honest, you don't come much bigger than GTA 6.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schrier sat down with Zelnick, as the GTA overlord said: 'Now with regard to a big title, PC can be 45, 50% of the sales. Rockstar always starts on console because I think with regard to a release like that you’re judged by serving the core."
“Like really serving the core consumer. If your core consumer isn’t there, if they’re not served first and best, you kind of don’t hit your other consumers."
Zelnick also reminded us that Rockstar has an ongoing exclusivity partnership with Sony, although he concluded: "We’ll see how it works out."
Looking back at GTA V, PC players were forced to wait a whopping 19 months before they could play. It hopefully won't be as long this time around, but bear in mind that Zelnick hasn't actually confirmed GTA 6 is coming to PC.
Still, with Zelnick's comments on how PC can make up such a massive slice of the market, we imagine dollar signs are ringing in his eyes. There could also be a benefit to the delay, with Red Dead Redemption 2's PC arrival coming 13 months after console including souped-up graphics.
As marketing ramps up ahead of GTA 6's planned November release, PC fans are waiting for an update with bated breath.
