‘GTA 6’ Release Date: Amidst A Fresh Wave Of False News And Rumors, Here’s What We Know So Far


A fresh wave of GTA 6 release date rumors has recently emerged, with numerous reports claiming that Rockstar Games is preparing a trial period for the highly-anticipated title this coming December. Apart from these, there is also talk of GTA 6 using the same game engine that was used to develop its predecessor, but only with some notable modifications such as HDR in order to improve the game’s graphics. While these rumors would be interesting if they were true, it appears like these Grand Theft Auto 6 updates are part of a fresh new wave of false news about the project.

There are numerous things that seem immediately off with the idea of a GTA 6 beta test being done this December. For one, Rockstar is a company that never stretches itself too thin, with the developer gaining a reputation for making games that are well-crafted and intricately designed. This usually entails Rockstar to focus its resources on creating one AAA game at a time. At this specific point in time, this AAA game would be Red Dead Redemption 2, not GTA 6. Thus, the chances of Rockstar rolling out the Grand Theft Auto 6 beta this December are very slim.

Apart from this, the preparation of a beta test is usually preceded by openings for the position on Rockstar’s official page. As of date, Rockstar’s official page shows no signs that it is looking for beta testers. With Rockstar seemingly not searching for test players, all signs are pointing to the reports of an alleged December 2017 GTA 6 beta being false. These types of rumors have actually emerged in the past, with numerous sources previously stating that a GTA V pre-release beta was ongoing. During that time, the false rumors became so prominent that Rockstar stepped in and intervened, warning the gaming community that no such beta was taking place.

[Image by Videogame Photography|Flickr|Cropped and Resized|CC BY-SA 2.0]

Lastly, the recent rumors stated that GTA 6 would simply feature a game with the same graphical aspects as its predecessor, with only slight improvements such as the introduction of HDR. Now, from the contents of these speculations alone, something feels very off. The Grand Theft Auto franchise is considered a AAA title for a very good reason, with each game being a massive improvement over its predecessor. Thus, when rumors stating that character models would be the same with only slight improvements in quality, doubts are immediately sowed.

While Rockstar has not announced any official GTA 6 details to date, those who have stayed with and supported the critically-acclaimed franchise for years know that the next installment would most likely be revolutionary. Considering Rockstar Games’ reputation for releasing solid titles that are near-flawless, as well as the Grand Theft Auto franchise’s steady improvement with each iteration, it seems safe to assume that GTA 6 would be a massive improvement from GTA 5, in terms of graphics, gameplay, and plot.

Rockstar Games itself has assured fans that GTA 6 would be created, so it is really only a matter of when the game would be fully developed and officially announced. One of the seemingly more legitimate rumors that have emerged this year stated that pre-production work on Grand Theft Auto 6 has already commenced. While this rumor might seem to be a stretch, Rockstar has actually done the same thing in the past, beginning the preliminary development of GTA V during the final years of GTA IV‘s lifecycle. With this, fans of the crime-simulator could rest assure that GTA 6 would be made, all in Rockstar’s good time.

[Image by Matthew Hutchinson|Flickr|Cropped and Resized|CC BY-SA 2.0]

If any, the long wait for GTA 6 would most likely be worth it. Rockstar Games usually spaces out the release date of its games generously, with GTA III and GTA IV being released a full seven years apart. The gap between GTA IV and GTA V was significant too, with the latter being released a five years after the former. Considering that GTA V has only been on the market for three years, it seems safe to say that a December 2016 release date for the GTA 6 beta is indeed very unlikely.

This does not mean to say that no official Grand Theft Auto news from Rockstar might be released soon, however. This year, the acclaimed game developer opted to focus its resources on developing its open-world Western third-person shooter, Red Dead Redemption 2. Just like the GTA franchise, RDR games are spaced far apart as well, with Red Dead Redemption being released on 2010 and RDR2 being set for a 2017 release. This means that after the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 next year, Rockstar would be able to free up its resources to focus on its other AAA title. That, of course, would be Grand Theft Auto 6. If there’s anything that fans could be certain of right now, it is that GTA 6, regardless of when it would be officially announced, would most likely be the best Grand Theft Auto title in the franchise yet.

[Featured Image by Dzoki|Flickr|Cropped and Resized|CC BY-SA 2.0]

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