The anticipation surroundingGrand Theft Auto 6is undoubtedly massive, with the upcoming Rockstar title possibly being its biggest release yet. Despite there being little in the way of official information regarding the release,GTA 6is already the source of debate and conjecture among the franchise’s fans.
The most consistent talking point regardingGrand Theft Auto 6concerns the likely increase in scale that the title will see when compared to the longstanding and popularGrand Theft Auto 5. While a lot of this discourse has been in the context of upgrades to the single-player mode, there is also discussion to naturally be had regarding howGTA 6will improve upon theGrand Theft Auto Onlineexperience. Given the huge success ofGTA Online, it is clear thatGTA 6offers an opportunity for the mode to jump to its next logical state by providing an interconnected world to wreck havoc across.
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The Success of Grand Theft Auto Online
While theGTAfranchise has boasted a dedicatedonline mode since 2008’sGrand Theft Auto 4, the concept truly took off with 2013’sGrand Theft Auto 5. Known asGrand Theft Auto Online,GTA 5’sonline mode offers a huge amount in the way of progression, allowing players to rise from street-level criminals to kingpins with private jets and penthouse apartments. There are a near-endless amount of ventures for players to explore, with the mode fostering simple free-roam exploration through a dynamic sandbox.
When this base experience is combined with bombastic races, community-made maps and modes, and a set of dedicated heists with an emphasis on co-op, it is clear to see whyGrand Theft Auto Onlinehas been so popular for Rockstar over the past decade.GTA Onlinereportedly produces huge amounts of revenue for Rockstar via its Shark Card microtransaction system, which gives players in-game currency that can be spent on the most alluring weapons, vehicles, and properties on offer. On top of this,Rockstar recently launchedGTA+, a monthly paid subscription service that offers its own unique benefits forGTA Onlineplayers.
Grand Theft Auto 6’s Online Mode Should Build Upon, Not Replace
Given the current track record ofGrand Theft Auto Onlineit is logical to assume that Rockstar will place greater importance on the mode within its upcomingGrand Theft Auto 6. However, this presents a fantastic opportunity for Rockstar to not simply release another online mode that takes place inGTA 6’srumored Vice City setting, replacing the variant set in Los Santos.
Instead,Grand Theft Auto Onlineshould act as an expansive hub providing the ultimateGTAexperience. This mode should build upon the pre-existing framework and offer players the ability to freelytravel between Los Santos and Vice City. Players should also be able to carry over their characters fromGTA Online, although perhaps without the weapons and vehicles they have amassed.
This would essentially double the scale ofoffered content withinGTA Online, and would crucially linkGTA 5and6. This dedicated platform could be expanded infinitely, with other franchise locations such as Liberty City potentially coming in future updates. While the story mode ofGrand Theft Auto 6will be a huge focal point of the release, the game clearly holds a huge amount of potential for curating the franchise’s ultimate online experience.
Grand Theft Auto 6is currently in development.
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