Should GTA 6 feature the biggest open-world map in history?

Fans are still unsure whether GTA 6 will have a larger map than GTA 5 or not. Large open worlds have always been a prime attraction for games like GTA.

However, it is not a precise gauge of a game's quality, determined by various factors. GTA 4, for example, had a smaller map compared to its predecessor, GTA San Andreas. Yet, the game was revolutionary in terms of gameplay, storytelling, and game mechanics.

GTA 4 established a precedent for subsequent titles and gave birth to the GTA HD Universe. Since the supposed map leaks came out for the next game, the Grand Theft Auto community has debated the benefits and drawbacks of a larger map.

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Would GTA 6 benefit from a larger map?

GTA San Andreas, one of the most recognizable titles in the GTA series, marked a significant departure from its predecessors. The map was massive, consisting of a whole state and three separate cities.

However, the game's success was not solely related to the size of its map. GTA San Andreas introduced a slew of new features and overall game design improvements, some of which have yet to be incorporated into the HD universe.

A larger map generally leads to the assumption that the game has more content in it. This does not have to be necessarily true, as there have been plenty of cases where smaller maps dwarfed the larger ones with content.

Fuel, for example, has one of the largest open-world maps ever made for a racing game. Yet, the title game wasn't moderately successful because of inferior game mechanics and lack of content.

In contrast, the Batman Arkham series demonstrates how a modest game world can hold a surprising amount of content. By the time a player has finished a game in the Arkham series, they will find it difficult to believe that the map is so tiny compared to other open-world games.

The Just Cause series has always had maps much larger than the GTA games. Yet, the latter has always been more popular and profitable.

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Will GTA 6 have a larger map than GTA 5?

Rockstar Games has surely adopted the "bigger is better" philosophy with its recent titles. The maps in GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 were far more extensive than their predecessors, and this tendency is anticipated to continue.

Only time will tell whether GTA 6 has a larger map than GTA 5 and whether it is as successful as the former.

Note: This article reflects the author's views.