A few lucky gaming franchises have managed to gather loyal fans who desperately await the next release, as is the case with bothRed Dead RedemptionandFallout. FollowingRed Dead Redemption 2, gamers are ready to have another cowboy adventure, but the wait for the next game may be an exceptionally long one, in part because ofRockstar’s focus onGTA 6.Fallout 5finds itself in the same boat, as Bethesda must focus onStarfieldandThe Elder Scrolls 6first.
The long wait for AAA games has become a norm in the gaming industry, though that hasn’t turned gamers into a patient bunch.Fallout 5is in a somewhat better position thanRed Dead Redemption 2, as it has at least been confirmed by its studio. TheRed Deadfranchise hangs in the air, and Rockstar has shown itself to not fear abandoning franchises in favor of more financially lucrative endeavors.
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Once upon a time, gamers could rely on Rockstar Games to consistently churn out games. There was only a year betweenGrand Theft Auto 3andVice City, and gamers only had to wait two more years forSan Andreasto come out. Things have changed drastically, and while development time for AAA games has extended for most studios, Rockstar has managed to take things to ridiculous levels. Following the release ofGTA 5in 2013, gamers had to wait untilRed Dead Redemption 2in 2018 before they received a new title from the developer. The next game players are waiting for isGrand Theft Auto 6, and it does not seem like it is going to be a short wait.
According to industry analysts,GTA 6should hit shelves in 2024 or 2025. As industry insider Jason Schreier revealed in his Bloomberg report, the studio has been working on the game since 2014, which would make the game’s development cycle a decade long if it launches when expected. Schreier’s report claims that although developers have had to scale things back to one city, the game’s scope is still massive, and it will feature a more politically correct tone to reflect the studio’s changed internal culture. Thelong wait forGTA 6could mean that something special is in store for players. However, it also suggests players may have to wait even longer for the next Rockstar game.
Gamers who preferthe Red Deadfranchise instead ofGTAprobably shouldn’t hold their breath forRed Dead Redemption 3anytime soon. Though Rockstar is a large company, it’s probably all hands on deck for its prized flagship IP, at least until launch, as was the case withGTA 5. According to Schreier’s report, there are plans to support the game with updates that add new missions and locations post-launch, and that will require plenty of the company’s attention. All this adds up to the chance ofRDR3coming anytime soon being extremely slim. Rockstar only released one new game during the eighth gaming generation, and it would take a reversal of its current development trends for it to releaseRDR 3andGTA 6in the same generation.
Bethesda and Fallout 5
Todd Howard has a habit of announcing Bethesda’s games unreasonably early. Because of this, he has already confirmed thatFallout 5is on the way, and he places it after the release ofThe Elder Scrolls 6. A look at Bethesda’s release calendar reveals that this could mean that gamers will be waiting for quite a while. The next game on Bethesda’s release schedule isStarfield. Excitement is high for this title, as it will be the studio’s first new IP in over two decades. It has been brewing in some form in the studio for over a decade, though development never began until the release ofFallout 4in 2015. Gamers got their first teaser in 2018, and while the game has faced a few delays, it is now slated for a 2022 release.
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FollowingStarfield, gamers can expectThe Elder Scrolls 6. After the astronomic success ofSkyrim,The Elder Scrolls 6is a title that is highly anticipated. According to Howard, the game is still in pre-production, which means that gamers shouldn’t expect it anytime soon. This placesFallout 5’s release many, many years into the future, possibly in the next gaming generation. This is an exceptionally long wait for gamers, and it will be an even longer wait forFalloutfans, as the gap betweenFallout 5and its successor will likely be longer than a decade.
The Waiting Continues
Much to the annoyance of gamers, the wait for AAA games is longer than ever. This can be attributed to various reasons. As the graphical power of consoles and PCs has improved, gamers expect more from their games. Creating near photorealistic assets takes time, and this takes up a significant portion of the development cycle.Fallout 5andRed Dead Redemption 3face additional hurdles as they will both probably beopen-world games, where the environments that need to be designed are magnitudes larger than other gaming genres. Increased attention to detail will also extend the development cycle. Although the wait is long, it is sometimes worth it when you get a title likeRDR 2.
AlthoughFallout 5andRDR 3are still many years away, this does not mean that the gaming industry is dry. Right now, gamers are enjoying a steady release of quality games, includingGod of War Ragnarok,Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, andNeed for Speed Unbound. Next year also looks jam-packed, with titles likeStarfield,Forspoken, andHogwarts Legacyscheduled. Fortunately, gamers won’t have to wait much longer for these titles, something that cannot be said forFallout 5andRed Dead Redemption 3.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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