Forget everything you know about open-world games. The successor to GTA 5 has been designed in a vastly different way! Rockstar aims to make their new game the game of the decade. To achieve this, the studio needs to excel in what it does best: creating a city as lively as possible, allowing players to thrive in total freedom.
Insights from a Former Rockstar Employee
Mike York was an animator at Rockstar from 2012 to 2017. He was credited on both Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online, on which he worked. It was York who, upon the release of the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer in December 2023, declared, “When you play it, it will really look like that.” In an interview with Kiwi Talkz (which has mysteriously been deleted since), York explained that the next installment of Grand Theft Auto will not run at 60 FPS and that players will have to wait for a PC version of the title to reach that level.
Unprecedented for an Open World?
Also on Kiwi Talkz, York mentioned the open world of GTA 6, comparing it to what CD Project did with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
“The way the open world of GTA 6 is designed is totally different (…) Many things can happen that you don’t think about.”
While The Witcher immerses the player in a fantasy world, GTA 6 takes place in Vice City, a replica of Miami. This setting chosen by Rockstar must respond to the player’s actions “like a living city,” explains York. One thing is for sure, GTA 6 will overflow with life and interactions. You can see it in the trailer, from the wildlife to activities such as heists, Lucia’s penitentiary life, or drunken NPCs.
A Challenge Rockstar Intends to Overcome
The challenge that Rockstar faces is creating a game of such scale without bugs. This is a goal Rockstar is working tirelessly to achieve. York explains that during the time he was an intern, employees tested GTA 5 for eight to ten hours a day. Furthermore, the studio is known for fully committing financially to its projects. While Red Dead Redemption 2allegedly cost over 800 million dollars, it is rumored that GTA 6 has a budget ranging from 1 to 2 billion dollars.
Conclusion
Rockstar is determined to set a new benchmark with GTA 6 by creating an immersive, living city that goes beyond anything previously seen in open-world games. With a massive budget and a dedicated team, the studio aims to deliver an unparalleled gaming experience that will redefine the genre.
