Like Diablo 3, Star Wars Battlefront, and Pokemon’s Hoenn region, the topic of Grand Theft Auto VI is one that gets gamers anxious and excited. As we are now three years after the release of 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V — and two years since the systems hit PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC — fans are ready to find out what the deal is with the next game in the legendary open world series.
A Grand Theft Auto VI announcement may have been on plenty of Christmas lists, but there’s no official news yet. Yet if you take a quick look at Google, it seems like a lot of publications have been saying otherwise.
Tuesday night, a report from Dez Bryant of iTech (likely a fake name, as Dez Bryant is the star wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys) came out that not only has Grand Theft Auto VI been confirmed, but so have some other details that include:
- Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes will have voice acting roles.
- The game takes place in London.
- There will be a female protagonist for the first time in the series (not counting Grand Theft Auto Online).
Whether due to the desperation of wanting Grand Theft Auto VI news or people not seeing that the article was written by Dez Bryant, the internet has begun to explode with articles about what’s next from Rockstar Games.
Relax, folks. I hate to break it to you, truly I do, but Grand Theft Auto VI is a long, long ways off — at least, from what we the general press know right now.
Let’s start with what we do know.
Earlier this year, Rockstar announced a sequel to 2010’s Red Dead Redemption that was simply titled Red Dead Redemption 2.
At the same time, PlayStation made an announcement of their own that confirmed a partnership between them and Rockstar — similar to what PlayStation and Activision have done — that will give PlayStation users a first opportunity at Red Dead Redemption 2.
Here’s the official statement:
“Now, following up Grand Theft Auto V — one of the most successful entertainment properties of all time — Rockstar is set to return with Red Dead Redemption 2, the latest entry in the Red Dead series of games. And there’s no better place to play it than PlayStation.
Hand crafted to take full advantage of PS4, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America’s unforgiving heartland. The game’s vast and atmospheric world will also provide the foundation for a brand new online multiplayer experience.
We are pleased to announce that PS4 players get first access to earn select online content in the vast open world of Red Dead Redemption 2. Check back on PlayStation.Blog for more details soon and for all of the latest information on Red Dead Redemption 2.”
At no point in there did PlayStation or Rockstar say anything about a sequel to Grand Theft Auto VI. Some may speculate that a sequel was teased because Grand Theft Auto V was mentioned, but that’s just grasping for straws and clicks.
Keep in mind that both before and after the announcement of Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar has never said anything about Grand Theft Auto VI, especially not with how well Grand Theft Auto Online is still doing as an MMO to even the casual fan.
If Grand Theft Auto Online was a flop or had lost interest, maybe we’d have heard something in 2016 about Grand Theft Auto VI, but for now it’s just crackpot theories and tinfoil hats. Rockstar knows what’s working and with Grand Theft Auto Online still reeling in players and Red Dead Redemption 2 on deck, the point is this:
AT NO POINT YET HAS ROCKSTAR, ROCKSTAR NORTH, OR PLAYSTATION SAID ANYTHING ABOUT GRAND THEFT AUTO VI.
Everything that is currently being published about it is pure conjecture based on vague goings-on.
As you try to figure out if the VI in Grand Theft Auto VI stands for Vice City, do us all a favor: avoid the clickbait, avoid the crackpot theories, and avoid people’s desperate attempts to figure out what’s next.
For now, just know that the GTA VI rumors are unfounded until we have further information. While there are many signs that might be pointing in the direction of the much-anticipated sequel, nothing is set in stone just yet — and likely won’t be until at least Red Dead Redemption 2 is closer to release.
