5 things GTA 6 should learn from GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony

GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony was a major advancement over Grand Theft Auto 4, and GTA 6 has much to learn from it. The game introduced several features that were missing in Grand Theft Auto 4, and it managed to provide a distinct experience that lets you see and explore Liberty City from a different perspective.

The replay value was much higher in TBoGT thanks to these new features and side missions. Grand Theft Auto 4 getting episodic DLCs was also a novel approach that Rockstar hadn't taken before. In fact, the upcoming game, GTA 6, should also take inspiration from GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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5 ways in which GTA 6 can take inspiration from GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony

1) Nightclub job

Nightclubs were at the core of GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony. As the accomplice of Tony Prince, the nightclub entrepreneur, you can manage the Maisonette 9 nightclub, and even engage in certain activities like dancing, drinking, and a champagne minigame. Rockstar brought back Nightclubs in GTA Online, although some of the features were slightly modified.

In TBoGT, Luis can dance with random girls in nightclubs and, if successful, he will get together with them. GTA 6 needs to make the nightclub activities similar to that of TBoGT and not Grand Theft Auto Online.

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2) Family and friends

Unlike most stereotypical protagonists in the Grand Theft Auto series, Luis had plenty of friends and family in GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony. Henrique and Armando are his two closest friends who frequently assist him during missions whereas Tony, his boss, is also like a friend to him. Luis' mother also lives in Liberty City and there are a few missions where he's forced to help her.

GTA 6 should utilize the protagonists' friends and family, by incorporating them into main and side missions, activities, and more. This will make the game feel more immersive and lived in.

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3) Underground cage fighting

Underground cage fights should be brought back in GTA 6 (Image via Rockstar Games)

One of the best and most unique minigames in GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony is the underground cage fighting. You can bet on fighters to make money or participate in it yourself. The fights were engaging and tricky, requiring skill instead of just button-mashing, thanks to the advanced melee combat and physics of Grand Theft Auto 4.

With GTA 6, Rockstar should look towards introducing a feature as unique and engaging as underground cage fighting. It could also incorporate wrestling, mixed martial arts, or anything of the like to improve upon this feature.

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4) Gun Van

The Gun Van as it appears in GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony (Image via Rockstar Games)

There were no Ammu-Nation stores in the HD Universe rendition of Liberty City as the city had an ongoing crackdown on firearms during the storyline. You buy firearms from illegal underground gun stores instead. This was, however, improved in GTA 4 Ballad of Gay Tony, where Luis' friend, Armando, is an arms dealer.

As such, you get to access some advanced weapons in the game on-demand, simply by calling him. Rockstar brought back the Gun Van in GTA Online, but this is a mobile business that changes location every day. In Grand Theft Auto 6, the Gun Van should return in Story Mode as a mobile gun store on-demand, and house rare and unique weapons like that in TBoGT.

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5) Alternative story angle

Finally, the most important lesson GTA 6 should learn from TBoGT is that the next game should also get episodic DLCs. This game is one of two different expansion packs to Grand Theft Auto 4, the other being The Lost and Damned (TLaD). Both these expansions provide a different perspective on life in Liberty City.

While Niko is an immigrant with a dark past trying to survive in the US, Luis is a former criminal struggling to help his friends and family stay out of trouble. The plot in TBoGT wasn't nearly as dark as that of GTA 4, which was further reflected in the graphical filter itself.

GTA 6 should also get episodic story DLCs like TBoGT, an aspect that Rockstar skipped for Grand Theft Auto 5.