GTA 6: 5 reasons why the game needs to spend more time in development

GTA 6 has been the subject of much speculation not just amongst the franchise's fans but also the gaming community at large. Rockstar has been able to evolve GTA into nothing short of a global phenomenon, and thus the expectations are sky-high for the next game.

So far, Rockstar has maintained secrecy by not breaking their silence regarding GTA 6. Nothing much has been confirmed about the game's existence in development. Here, we take a look at some reasons why a longer development cycle will benefit both fans and Rockstar.

5 reasons why GTA 6 needs to spend more time in development

1) Rockstar's issues with crunch

One of the biggest conversations surrounding the gaming industry last year was the issue of mandatory crunch during the development of AAA games. Crunch essentially means that employees of a studio will be forced to work overtime without being compensated.

This was one of the biggest controversies that Rockstar had faced, with the tumultuous development of Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption II dominating the headlines. Soon enough, Rockstar would become the poster child for toxic work environments in the gaming industry.

Therefore, Rockstar would benefit from a longer development cycle with GTA 6, which will probably help mitigate any issues relating to crunch. A standard release date that is achievable without crunch should be Rockstar's priority at this point.

2) More time equals more polish

Rockstar Games have never been the one to cut corners or deliver a half-baked product. Each game in the GTA franchise comes with a massive set of expectations, and all the games should be polished to the extent that it gets flawless.

Rockstar's reputation for being one of the most premier AAA game publishers with a track record of great and polished titles is as of yet unsullied, and Rockstar would like to maintain the same.

The longer GTA 6 spends in development, the longer Rockstar will have to iron out and identify any issues in the game.

3) Fully realize the potential of GTA Online

Rockstar has announced that GTA Online would be available as a standalone title on next-gen consoles, which opens up many possibilities for Rockstar to add to the game. The game is quite good when it comes to the amount of content it offers, yet, there is a nagging feeling that it's still only scratching the surface.

While fans would rather play the next GTA game than continue playing GTA Online, it is undeniable that the game still has a lot of potential for evolving.

With one more major update planned for the game this year, Rockstar is looking at ways to enhance the GTA Online experience even further.

4) GTA 5 on next-gen consoles

Along with Online, GTA V is also making its way onto next-gen consoles in an 'Expanded and Enhanced' edition. Rockstar should capitalize on the opportunity.

With a single-player expansion and meaningful content for GTA Online, Rockstar can turn a lot of this negativity into positive reception from the fanbase. If an 'Expanded and Enhanced' edition only means new music and graphical upgrades, Rockstar should be thinking bigger.

Perhaps if Rockstar looks to spend this year working on GTA V's future content and begins with the development on GTA 6 later next year, it can have the best of both worlds.

5) Departure of key figures from Rockstar

Rockstar has not had the best time of late as several key figures in the company have departed. Leslie Benzies, the lead producer and designer of the majority of Rockstar's titles, was the president of Rockstar North. He departed the company and even filed litigation against Rockstar for unpaid royalties for $160 million.

Dan Houser, one of the co-founders of Rockstar Games and the creative lead of almost every Rockstar title, has also left the company. His reasons for the departure possibly had to do with the comments he made regarding Rockstar's supposed toxic work environment.

Along with them, the key figure in the creative process, Lazlow Jones, has also left the company citing personal reasons. Lazlow was a major creative force when it came to the in-game media, which has always been a great part of the GTA franchise.

The departure of key individuals is sure to have given Rockstar a number of sleepless nights as they must work to get back on the horse and ride out the storm.