Why was it delayed once more?

“Here we go again.”

When Grand Theft Auto 6 was delayed on Thursday, the well-known quote from the collection completely captured the emotions of many online game followers.

Resignation, frustration, déjà vu.

It’s the second time maker Rockstar Games has instructed gamers they’re going to have to attend even longer for what’s more likely to be one of many greatest leisure releases ever.

The notoriously perfectionist developer has a historical past of holding on to its blockbusters till it is proud of them, so the information wasn’t a whole shock.

But it’s got thousands and thousands asking what’s taking so lengthy, and why.

Rockstar Games formally confirmed it was engaged on GTA 6 in February 2022 and an preliminary trailer, launched virtually 18 months later, stated it will come out in 2025.

It additionally revealed that the sport options two protagonists – couple Jason and Lucia – and takes place in Leonida, a fictional US state primarily based on Florida.

Rockstar later introduced the sport had been pushed again, offering a precise date of 26 May 2026.

This bought followers excited, particularly when some realised it was the date of Bonnie and Clyde’s funeral.

The well-known outlaw lovers are thought to have supplied inspiration for GTA 6’s lead characters, and the timing appeared too good to cross up.

But ultimately, it was. The recreation has obtained one other delay and a brand new launch date of 19 November 2026.

Even Grand Theft Auto is just not immune from components that have an effect on any firm making a contemporary blockbuster online game.

Development has change into costlier, extra advanced, and the hole between massive releases has been widening.

But there are some challenges distinctive to Rockstar.

The first is hype.

Both of GTA 6’s trailers have smashed YouTube viewership data, and it commonly tops lists of the general public’s most-anticipated video games.

Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar’s father or mother firm Take-Two Interactive, has stated that every new launch from the developer must wow gamers.

Rockstar is understood for breaking new floor with its video games, and its final massive launch, the western journey Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR 2), helped to bolster that repute

It continues to be broadly thought of a benchmark for open-world video video games as a result of its depth and obsessive consideration to element, regardless of popping out in 2018.

The studio’s spectacular monitor report is attributed to its famously excessive requirements which, in flip, creates ever-higher expectations for its video games.

Maintaining its rep is one thing Rockstar seems to take severely – each RDR 2 and 2013’s GTA 5 have been delayed twice.

And when Mr Zelnick was quizzed on GTA 6’s latest delay at a gathering with buyers this week, he instructed them these engaged on the sport have been “seeking perfection”.

Another distinctive consider Rockstar’s case is the continued success of its current library.

GTA 5 is the second best-selling recreation of all time, and continues to rack up gross sales 13 years after launch.

It offered 730,000 copies within the UK alone final yr, in keeping with the Entertainment Retail Association, whereas RDR 2 offered 350,000 copies in the identical interval.

That put each video games in 2024’s high ten for online game gross sales.

And then there’s GTA Online, the wildly profitable multiplayer mode that continues to rank among the many world’s most-played video games each month.

It’s been credited with bringing in an enormous chunk of the $8.9bn (£6.7bn) the collection has reportedly made because the launch of GTA 5.

Its sequel is anticipated to be probably the most costly video video games of all time, however Rockstar continues to be creating wealth from its older titles.

However, Take Two stated this week that it had seen an anticipated decline in GTA Online’s numbers.

Experts have previously told BBC Newsbeat that the true success of GTA 6 shall be measured by how nicely it manages to lure present gamers over to its personal on-line mode.

Where GTA is anxious, there are not any ensures.

Rockstar has beforehand been accused of forcing workers into “crunch”, or necessary time beyond regulation, in an effort to hit launch dates and deadlines.

The observe, which has been employed by different massive recreation builders, has been closely criticised for conserving staff away from their households and driving them to exhaustion.

Rockstar stated on the time no-one was compelled to work additional hours nevertheless it was at all times taking a look at methods to improve the ways it worked.

Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, who printed in-depth experiences on RDR 2’s growth, stated there appears to be a “real desire” from studio administration to keep away from crunch on GTA 6.

Earlier this week, 30 workers who have been sacked by Rockstar accused it of trying to prevent them from unionising.

The firm denied this and accused the employees of committing gross misconduct by sharing confidential info – one thing the IWGB Game Workers’ union has rejected.

It is unlikely that the sackings are immediately associated to the latest delay, however the lack of skilled employees may have an effect on the sport’s growth.

For now, most followers appear comfortable to attend a bit longer for what lots of them count on to be the “game of the century”.

Whether their persistence will repay, or be wasted, is within the arms of Rockstar.

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