Twitch boss Dan Clancy has said he expects an enormous launch for GTA 6 this November, one video game companies are right to avoid like the plague. But he also expects GTA 6 to continue to hoover up the internet’s attention when GTA Online 2 — or whatever GTA 6’s multiplayer mode is called — launches next year.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Clancy said he’d spoken with Rockstar Games about what the developer has up its sleeve.
“We spent a lot of time talking with Rockstar about their plans, and also helping them think about how they can engage our creators,” Clancy said. “You are going to see this big bump with GTA 6, but then an even bigger one next year when they launch multiplayer.”
Rockstar is yet to say when the multiplayer portion of GTA 6 will come out, or even confirm it plans to release a GTA Online 2, even though everyone knows it’s in the works. There is intense speculation about when it will release, or, more specifically, how long Rockstar will wait to deploy it after GTA 6’s November release date. Early 2027? Mid 2027? Late 2027? Either way, next year looks nailed on.
Will GTA Online 2 make the existing GTA Online redundant? Not necessarily. Last year, Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar parent company Take-Two, said Take-Two has form when it came to NBA 2K Online, a free-to-play online-focused version of 2K Sports’ hugely successful basketball franchise aimed at the Asian market. NBA 2K Online launched all the way back in 2012, and then 2K Sports released NBA 2K Online 2 in 2017. Both games were maintained simultaneously, so fans of the first version could continue to play and invest their time and money safe in the knowledge they wouldn’t be left behind.
“I’m going to speak theoretically only because I’m not going to talk about a particular project when an announcement hasn’t been made,” Zelnick told IGN. “But generally speaking, we support our properties when the consumers are involved with those titles. As an example, we launched NBA 2K Online in China, I think originally in 2012 if I’m not mistaken. And then we launched NBA 2K Online 2 in China in 2017. If I’m not mistaken. We did not sunset Online 1. They both are still in the market and they serve consumers and they’re alive and we have this massive audience.
“So we’ve shown a willingness to support legacy titles when a community wants to be engaged with them.”
That last line is of particular importance. It suggests — but doesn’t confirm at this stage — that if there is a GTA Online 2, it won’t come at the cost of GTA Online falling by the wayside. If people keep playing GTA Online, Zelnick is suggesting here, then Rockstar will continue to support it. And let’s remember, GTA 6 launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S only. PC players’ only option is to join the console party, or stick with GTA 5 and GTA Online on PC.
With November fast approaching, Rockstar has begun to reveal more about GTA 6 and how it will play. Just this week a number of artists teased their appearance on the GTA 6 soundtrack, and Stephen Root, who voices Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland on the animated series King of the Hill, confirmed his role in the GTA 6 cast.
Remarkably, Rockstar has yet to confirm any GTA 6 actors, leading fans to try to work out the cast for themselves. We don’t even know who plays Jason and Lucia, the game’s dual protagonists. Perhaps we won’t until the game is out in November and the credits roll.
While you wait to find out, check out IGN’s extensive GTA 6 coverage, including our interview with Rockstar’s Rob Nelson on what to expect.
Wesley Yin-Poole
Director, News
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
