Summary
The status ofGrand Theft Auto OnlineonceGrand Theft Auto 6comes out may have already been foreshadowed by past information. With the series still firmly positioned as Rockstar’s flagship franchise, it’s expected to put maximum effort into the rollout of the next game. At the same time, that raises questions aboutGrand Theft Auto Online, and how much life the game could have left. With a new game coming along, Rockstar’s priorities will certainly have to shift. As a result, that can leave players wondering what will happen toGrand Theft Auto Online.
When thefirstGrand Theft Auto 6trailerpremiered, no one could be blamed for being excited. The game had been the subject of rumors for years, and it had already been a remarkably long time since the last installment. The confirmation that the game would be returning to Vice City, as well as the reveal of the new protagonists, added to the game’s already-impressive hype. Nothing came out regarding future plans forGTA Online, though. No news regarding the current game, or ifGTA 6would replace it with a new version. At least for the time being, the exact plans remain a mystery.
Grand Theft Auto 6 May Not Be the End For GTA Online
GTA Online Has Outlasted Other Rockstar Projects
According to recent rumors,Rockstar cancelledBully 2, as well as several single-player DLC expansions forGrand Theft Auto 5. Rumors claim that these projects were canceled so thatGrand Theft Auto Onlinecould get sufficient support. Granted, one could assume that this is becauseGrand Theft Auto Onlineis already out and has an active player base. Even so,Red Dead Onlinesaw an end to its support despite having active players, albeit fewer thanGTA Online. This proves that, at least at the time,Grand Theft Auto Onlinewas still enough of a priority for Rockstar not to pull support in favor ofGTA 6’s development.
GTA 6 Has Little Reason to Replace GTA Online
Another detail to take into account is thatGrand Theft Auto 6’s open worldis possibly going to be even bigger than that ofGTA 5. That would mean that a new version ofGTA Onlinefeaturing it would be an even greater endeavor than the first. While the incredibly long gap between games could be seen as a reason to believe that a newGTA Onlinecould be in the works to replace the original, there’s nothing concrete to back the idea. Rockstar doesn’t have much of a reason to replace the already-thrivingGTA Online, so leaving it in place seems ideal.
GTA Online Still Receives Updates and Maintains a Large Player Base
Even looking at the game’s current state offers a hint. Fans will almost certainly continueplayingGTA Onlinethrough 2024, due to it still receiving updates. Rockstar has continued to support the game even whileGTA 6has been in the works. Even with the new game finally on the horizon,GTA Onlinereceived yet another update. Rockstar’s continued work on the game gives little indication that it will be dropped onceGrand Theft Auto 6comes out. It is simply too popular and lucrative to be abandoned so easily, and it’s hard to see Rockstar doing so even withGTA 6coming out.
Rockstar doesn’t have much of a reason to replace the already-thrivingGTA Online, so leaving it in place seems ideal.
While nothing is concrete,Grand Theft Auto Onlinelikely has a few good years of service left. While there is plenty ofhype forGrand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar has little reason to abandon or replaceGTA Onlinewhen it comes out. Between how many other projectsGTA Onlinehas outlasted, as well as the game’s own continued success, the best option that the developers have is to keep the game running as is.Grand Theft Auto 6’s launch shouldn’t be a threat toGrand Theft Auto Online’s continued existence.
