While Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive might be in the unique position to have one of the biggest launches in entertainment history on their hands with the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida believes that the same level of success will eventually be replicated.
In an interview with The Verge during a recent episode of The Vergecast, Yoshida spoke about how another game might match up to Grand Theft Auto 6’s hype. However, he also acknowledged that it might just end up being Rockstar again when it eventually decides to develop Grand Theft Auto 7.
“After 15 years, maybe GTA 7, we’ll see,” he said when asked whether GTA 6’s success and hype will ever be matched by another game. “Or any of these companies from China, they might try to emulate or compete, because there will be [a] 15-year gap after GTA 6. So, no one should underestimate the power of these Chinese companies.”
Interestingly, Rockstar Games itself hasn’t shied away from discussing how much pressure it is facing for Grand Theft Auto 6. In an interview with Game Informer, co-studio head of Rockstar North, Aaron Garbut, spoke about the subject, noting that the team is working its hardest to deliver the best product.
“As the pressure for us on this project is huge, we dealt with that by doing our best to over-deliver. Normally you compromise scale for detail or detail for interaction, but with this project we went the other way – everything is dialed up – detail, scope, breadth, scale, interaction, and density. I don’t think we have ever created anything close to this before.”
For an example of just how highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 is leading up to its November 19th release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, last month’s Extended Look showcase – released as a timed exclusive on Netflix – was seemingly a massive success for the streaming giant. Analysts have estimated that it attracted more than 100,000 new sign-ups in the US, making it the third-highest subscriber acquisition for Netflix this year.
Netflix itself had confirmed that the Extended Look for Grand Theft Auto 6 garnered 31.1 million views in its first week, topping the English film charts for the streaming service in 87 of the 93 countries where this data is tracked.
The Grand Theft Auto 6 Extended Look showcase was around 27 minutes in length and featured plenty of in-engine gameplay footage that showcased a variety of missions, cutscenes, activities, and conversations. While more details about the title will likely be revealed leading up to its release, CEO of Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two Interactive, Strauss Zelnick, has referred to the Extended Look as being “one of the hors d’oevres” in the game’s overall marketing plans.
“There’s appetizers, main course and dessert to follow,” Zelnick said before going on to call Netflix “a great marketing partner for us, and distribution partner.” He also revealed that the partnership for the Extended Look came together thanks to “a groundbreaking partnership that Rockstar arranged.”
For more on Grand Theft Auto 6, check out what the studio has said about its world and its two protagonists.
