'Grand Theft Auto 6' Will Be Single-Player Focused Experience, Says Take-Two

The upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI won't ignore Rockstar's single-player roots, according to the studio's parent company Take-Two Interactive.

Rockstar finally confirmed last week that a brand-new Grand Theft Auto game is in development, and that work is "well underway" on the long-awaited title. While the developer promised to share more when its ready, fans are already sharing their own hopes and dreams for the sequel. Hell, they were doing for years before the game was even announced, to be fair.

One concern fans seem to have about GTA VI, more than anything else, is how much of the single-player experience will be sacrificed to leverage more multiplayer and live service features?

You only have to look at Grand Theft Auto Online, which has remained a priority for Rockstar since it launched back in 2013. The multiplayer game continues to bring in ridiculous money, and has long been the studio's focus with a steady stream of updates and new content - all seemingly at the expense of any new single-player GTA action.

You can understand, then, why some fans might assume that Rockstar and Take-Two would want to find a way to graft GTA Online's success onto GTA VI.

But as it turns out, we probably don't have to worry. During a recent company earnings call, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick assured investors that it still believes in the power of single-player games, and knows this is what Rockstar is known and loved for.

"There was a time when a couple of our competitors were taking a position that single player was dead. We never took that position. We know that there's a role for single player," Zelnick said. "I believe there will be a role going forward."

He added: "Then there are certain games that are meant to be only multiplayer experiences. Rockstar is known for storytelling. And yes, Rockstar's also known for these fantastic open-world experiences. They clearly do both really well."

This echoes what  Rockstar developers Tarek Hamad and Scott Butchard told GQ Magazine last year following the release of the single-player focused GTA Online update, the Cayo Perico Heist.

"I think you can see that with Online and I think going forward we're going to inject more of that single-player element in there," Butchard explained.

When asked if that kind of attitude towards single-player stories will continue with future GTA projects, Hamad said, "absolutely". 

Topics: Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar Games