Hype is beginning to build in earnest for Rockstar Games’ long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI reveal. It’s been 10 long years since the last full entry in the series, though Grand Theft Auto Online has kept the franchise nicely ticking along in the meantime.
But let’s face it, it’s time for something new. Gaming technology and hardware is leagues beyond what we had in 2013 and, as nice as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of V are, we want something new.
It seems that an announcement and trailer are imminent, apparently to coincide with Rockstar Games’ 25th anniversary. So when is that?
The 25th Anniversary
Rockstar Games was established in December 1998 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive. It doesn’t seem that there’s an official date for its formation, though in 2018 the company celebrated its 20th anniversary on Dec. 10, so that’s as good a date as any.
Dan and Sam Houser founded the company in collaboration with BMG Interactive’s Terry Donovan, Arista Records’ Gary Foreman, and Take-Two’s Jamie King, with the intention that it would become Take-Two’s “high-end” publishing label. Given Rockstar’s monstrous global success, I think it’s safe to say they succeeded.
So what can we expect for their 25th anniversary celebrations? Our best guess comes from a look back at their 20th anniversary celebrations in 2018. That saw a range of new merchandise related to the then-new Red Dead Redemption 2, a month-long sale on other merchandise and deep discounts in the “Rockstar Classics” games in their back catalogue.
We’d expect something similar for its 25th, but a trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI would inevitably suck up all the publicity in the gaming industry for some time to come. We can’t wait to get an official look at this game, as after the high-profile leaks, hacks, and endless speculation, it’d be great to know some concrete details.