The former technical director of Rockstar, Obbe Vermeij, has stated that fans of the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) franchise should not expect a futuristic game in the series in the near future. This statement is based on the negative experience some developers had during the creation of GTA 2, a title that ventured into a futuristic setting that, according to Vermeij, was not well received. Future, no. Dystopia, of course Vermeij, who spoke in an interview with GamesHub, detailed that the team behind GTA 2 faced a tough task trying to reinvent numerous game mechanics, especially […]
The former technical director of Rockstar, Obbe Vermeij, has stated that fans of the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) franchise should not expect a futuristic game in the series in the near future. This statement is based on the negative experience that some developers had during the creation of GTA 2, a title that ventured into a futuristic setting that, according to Vermeij, was not well received.
Future, no. Dystopia, of course
Vermeij, who spoke in an interview with GamesHub, detailed that the team behind GTA 2 faced a tough task in trying to reinvent numerous game mechanics, especially regarding weapons and gameplay. “They were not happy with the idea of taking the game into the future”, he states, adding that the result was a lack of connection from the audience with the game compared to its predecessor, GTA.
“It could be a big mistake to set future installments in a futuristic context”, commented Vermeij, emphasizing the difference in the cultural impact that the series has today. “The franchise generates memes and conversations that might not exist in a futuristic setting”, he added, suggesting that a future setting could diminish the relevance of the series in current popular culture.
Additionally, Vermeij revealed that there were considerations to set a GTA game in Tokyo, but this concept was discarded, as it would not make sense to place it in a novel location solely for marketing reasons. In his words: “It doesn’t make sense to set it in a strange place just for novelty”. In summary, the developers seem to be more focused on maintaining the essence and connection of the series with its current player base than on exploring new futuristic directions.
Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, has drawn fascinating parallels between Victorian-era writing and contemporary video game narratives. In a recent reflection, Houser commented on how world-building in iconic titles like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption 2 resembles the work of great writers like Charles Dickens. During the development of Red Dead Redemption 2, Houser immersed himself in Victorian literature, seeking to infuse its narrative with complexity and a sense of realism that evokes life and death in the 19th century. He is not Charles Dickens, but not […]
Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, has drawn fascinating parallels between Victorian-era writing and the narrative of contemporary video games. In a recent reflection, Houser commented on how world-building in iconic titles like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption 2 resembles the work of great writers like Charles Dickens. During the development of Red Dead Redemption 2, Houser immersed himself in Victorian literature, seeking to infuse its narrative with complexity and a sense of realism that evokes life and death in the 19th century.
It’s not Charles Dickens, but it’s not bad
Houser, who left Rockstar in 2020, has been a fundamental pillar in creating immersive stories in the realm of video games. His focus on a “more novelistic” writing style in Red Dead Redemption 2 aimed to elevate the narrative to a new level, complementing the game’s stunning aesthetics with a plot that explored the three-dimensional lives of its characters. “I binge-read Victorian novels for this,” he stated, describing his desire to capture the essence of an era he considered radically different from our own.
The comparison between Rockstar’s narrative and 19th-century novels is not coincidental. Houser argues that both share an extensive storytelling structure that intertwines various plots while providing a physical representation of the environment, both in literature and in video games. This influence has led many critics to consider Red Dead Redemption 2 one of Rockstar’s best works, highlighting the quality and depth of its story.
Despite his departure from the company, Houser’s legacy continues to resonate in the gamer community, and his work invites reflection on the evolution of storytelling in video games, opening the door to future developments that may merge the art of storytelling with the digital world.
Chris Stockman, former design director of Saints Row, has stirred controversy by expressing his support for GTA 6 to have a price of $100. In a recent interview, Stockman argued that the scale and production cost of the game, estimated at around $2 billion, would justify this price, positioning it as the most expensive game ever created. An opinion that has generated a lot of discussion. With some titles already reaching prices of $80, the possibility that Rockstar Games, under the umbrella of Take-Two Interactive, sets a launch price of $100 has fueled the debate among the […]
Chris Stockman, former design director of Saints Row, has stirred controversy by expressing his support for GTA 6 to have a price of $100. In a recent interview, Stockman argued that the scale and production cost of the game, estimated at around $2 billion, would justify this price, positioning it as the most expensive game ever created.
An opinion that has caused rivers of ink to flow
With some titles already reaching prices of $80, the possibility that Rockstar Games, under the umbrella of Take-Two Interactive, will set a launch price of $100 has fueled the debate among fans and industry experts. Although Stockman acknowledges that GTA 6 could afford such a label, he warns that not all developers could follow this model without facing criticism. “GTA is the only one that can get away with this,” he stated, suggesting that a widespread price increase could cause considerable resentment among players.
Despite the possibility that the price of $100 may be seen as a way to offset the high development budget, a recent study warns that this figure could deter a significant number of fans from purchasing the game, which in turn could translate into a loss of revenue for Rockstar. The research suggests that such a high price could “leave money on the table,” restricting access to a portion of the potential market that could become resistant to the cost.
With the release of GTA 6 still on the horizon, discussions about its price reflect the complexity of balancing quality and accessibility in the video game industry. As the community awaits news, the pricing trend in this genre could be about to experience a significant shift.
Rockstar Games has undergone a significant transformation since the release of Grand Theft Auto V in 2013. During these years, the studio has achieved successes like Red Dead Redemption 2 and the multimillion-dollar GTA Online, while witnessing the departure of key figures like Lazlow Jones and Dan Houser. The latter, known for his crucial role in writing the GTA saga since 1999, has revealed that he did not participate in the creation of GTA VI. The Houser that remains in the company will not return In a recent interview with IGN during LA Comic Con, Houser clarified […]
Rockstar Games has undergone a significant transformation since the release of Grand Theft Auto V in 2013. During these years, the studio has achieved successes such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and the multimillion-dollar GTA Online, while witnessing the departure of key figures like Lazlow Jones and Dan Houser. The latter, known for his crucial role in writing the GTA saga since 1999, has revealed that he did not participate in the creation of GTA VI.
The Houser that still remains in the company will not return
In a recent interview with IGN during LA Comic Con, Houser clarified his absence from the development of the upcoming installment, scheduled for May 26, 2026. He stated that GTA VI “will not have a story that I wrote, or a set of characters that I developed.” However, he expressed his confidence that the game will be exciting and of high quality.
Houser, who left Rockstar in 2020, emphasized that the world has had enough of its stories in the Grand Theft Auto saga. He shared his perspective regarding his career, considering it a privilege to have worked on such an influential series: “I have written the last 10 or 11 games, so I think the world has had enough GTA from me.”
Although he has not been involved in GTA VI, the former writer is still monumentally excited about the future of the franchise. Additionally, in the same conversation, he described Red Dead Redemption 2 as “the best open world” of his entire career, highlighting its narrative and world design as a masterpiece. This statement reinforces Red Dead’s reputation as one of the milestones in the medium, acclaimed not only by players but also by those who created it.
Video game developers in China are increasingly focused on creating high-quality titles that can compete with major Western releases, such as the iconic Grand Theft Auto series. Qiwai Liang, director of the action RPG Phantom Blade Zero, emphasizes that there are many plans in the country to develop large productions aimed at raising the industry standard to meet the growing expectations of Chinese players. Those who stand out, do so in a big way One of the most notable examples of this shift is Black Myth: Wukong, a mythological action RPG that […]
Video game developers in China are increasingly focused on creating high-quality titles that can compete with major Western releases, such as the iconic Grand Theft Auto series. Qiwai Liang, director of the action RPG game Phantom Blade Zero, emphasizes that there are many plans in the country to develop large productions aimed at raising the industry standard to meet the growing expectations of Chinese players.
Those who stand out, do it big
One of the most notable examples of this change is Black Myth: Wukong, a mythological action RPG that has been considered the Chinese equivalent of Grand Theft Auto. The game has recouped its initial investment of 43 million dollars in just a few weeks, which represents a significant milestone for the gaming industry in China and reinforces the idea that local developers can create solid titles that attract both domestic and international players.
However, Liang warns that, despite the advances, the quality of many titles still needs to improve. “For most, the quality is still at a basic level,” he states, highlighting the need for innovation and improvement in the development process. This constructive criticism reflects a commitment to excellence, unlike the approach of some studios that prioritize quick profits.
Liang’s vision for his studio, S-GAME, goes beyond simply making economic profits; each release is seen as a stepping stone towards a more ambitious project: a large kung fu action RPG. Although his team has been working on Phantom Blade Zero for about three years and still has no release date, Liang claims that this meticulous approach is essential for establishing a solid reputation in the competitive video game market.
When May 26 of next year arrives and GTA VI appears in stores around the world, no one will talk about anything else for weeks. It doesn’t even matter if it’s good or bad, or if it deserves the price it will cost: it’s one of those events that marks a before and after in the history of video games, like GTA V in 2013. However, it was almost never to exist. Not because its development was excessively complex, but because, originally, the first Grand Theft Auto was made purely by chance. […]
When GTA VI hits stores worldwide on May 26 next year, no one will talk about anything else for weeks. It doesn’t even matter if it’s good or bad, or if it deserves the price it will cost: it’s one of those events that marks a before and after in the history of video games, like GTA V in 2013. However, it almost never existed. Not because its development was excessively complex, but because, originally, the first Grand Theft Auto was made purely by chance.
Police, thieves, and bugs
Initially, not even Rockstar was part of the GTA story: the ones responsible for making the first game were DMA Design (which now, indeed, is Rockstar North, but that’s another story), a studio that had been making video games since 1989 and had their first major success with Lemmings, which they ported to as many consoles and computers as possible. From then on, they focused on making versions and sequels of their flagship game until the title had run its course. It was then, in the mid-90s, that they decided it was time to do something different.
Why not try a game where you could choose to be a police officer chasing a criminal or a criminal being chased by police, through races in three more or less open cities? It didn’t sound bad, did it? DMA set out to create Race’n’chase, where you could participate in illegal races in the style of Fast & Furious. However, they had a problem: it wasn’t just that you couldn’t do all kinds of missions (they were all the same), but also that the chases were… boring. Imagine the idea of creating a racing video game and having testers tell you it’s not fun. At least, until they found a bug that changed everything.
Suddenly, one day, the testers found that the cops and robbers game they had to endure every day had become… Fun! Of course, not on purpose: suddenly, the cops were no longer chasing you to make you stop, but were hitting you on the sides, speeding towards you, and causing chaos in the city just to stop you. Somehow, the algorithm got it wrong, believing that its true target was not a few centimeters from the rival car, but inside the rival car. As a result, they were constantly attacking, making it so that no one was friendly in the game anymore, and also changing its entire reason for being.
Dan and Sam Houser, from BMG Interactive, ended up buying the rights to Race’n’chase as distributors and turned it into Grand Theft Auto. The rest, as they say, is history, more or less: the game grew in every way, they set aside the option of being the police (“it’s more fun to be bad,” they commented) and, when it was released in 1997, it had to face a wave of negative comments that wanted to ban it. It didn’t matter: the seed was planted and by 2001 they had sold 6 million units worldwide. A huge success for the time, indeed. It even managed to get a version for Game Boy Advance!
Obviously, a sequel was immediately approved: in 1999 DMA continued the saga, but this time they were published not by BMG, but by a new distributor founded by the Housers, who, after selling their company to Take Two, founded their own, Rockstar Games (maybe that sounds familiar). Back then, their business was basically based on GTA and other minor games like Earthworm Jim 3D and Monster Truck Madness 64. Fortunately, as we know, their future looked very, very bright, and with no other Race’n’chase in sight.
The renowned director Martin Scorsese strongly opposed the development of a video game based on his iconic film Taxi Driver, which was presented at E3 in 2005. This project, considered an unauthorized sequel to the film, promised to offer a gameplay experience similar to the Grand Theft Auto series, allowing players to take on the role of Travis Bickle, the disturbed protagonist played by Robert De Niro. The idea was for players to freely navigate a recreated 1970s New York, working as taxi drivers while exploring the dark psyche of the character. Scorsese refused to […]
The renowned director Martin Scorsese strongly opposed the development of a video game based on his iconic film Taxi Driver, which was presented at E3 in 2005. This project, considered an unauthorized sequel to the film, promised to offer a gameplay experience similar to the Grand Theft Auto series, allowing players to take on the role of Travis Bickle, the disturbed protagonist played by Robert De Niro. The idea was for players to freely navigate a recreated 1970s New York, working as taxi drivers while exploring the dark psyche of the character.
Scorsese refused to allow the game to be produced
Despite having the initial approval from Sony Pictures and the vocal participation of De Niro, Scorsese managed to exert considerable influence to prevent the game’s progress, even though he officially had no rights over the project. According to statements from executive producer Dan Kitchen, the director used his prestige to pressure Sony, reminding them of the complications that could arise if they continued. This resulted in the abrupt cancellation of development, just weeks before its completion.
The development company Papaya Studios responded by filing a lawsuit against Majesco Entertainment for breach of contract, after having invested several million dollars in the production of the video game. Although other movie-based titles, such as The Godfather: The Game, found success in the market, Taxi Driver became a lost project in gaming history, leaving fans curious about what this adaptation could have been like.
Today, while some remember that era of GTA clones in gaming, the question remains of what a sequel to a classic could have been. Additionally, the possibility of a cinematic sequel to Taxi Driver has been discussed at times, although there have been no concrete advances so far.
Generative artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of video game development and production, offering the possibility of creating characters and narratives more efficiently. However, this technological revolution generates concern among many employees in the sector, who fear that AI threatens their jobs. An industry leader, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, owner of Rockstar Games, has expressed his skepticism about the potential of AI to generate significant cultural successes. Success comes from creativity and innovation, not from rehashing data. In a recent interview, Zelnick argued […]
Generative artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of video game development and production, offering the possibility of creating characters and narratives more efficiently. However, this technological revolution raises concerns among many employees in the sector, who fear that AI may threaten their jobs. An industry leader, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, owner of Rockstar Games, has expressed his skepticism about the potential of AI to generate significant cultural hits.
Success arises from creativity and innovation, not from rehashing data
In a recent interview, Zelnick argued that major successes in the video game industry, such as the acclaimed Grand Theft Auto series, arise from innovative and creative ideas, not from the use of pre-existing data by artificial intelligence. “I am not worried that AI will generate hits, because it is based on existing data. Major hits are prospective and, therefore, must be created from scratch,” he commented, emphasizing the importance of human creativity in the development process.
Zelnick also offered advice for achieving success in the industry, suggesting that companies should attract the most talented creators and foster a culture of innovation. “Encourage them to always try something new and to steer away from imitations,” he added. In addition, he emphasized the need to protect and adequately compensate creators, especially if their work is replicated by AI, stating that “even though the tools are digital, the creative genius is human”.
On the other hand, the CEO of Take-Two referred to the lack of news about the highly anticipated game GTA 6, which has not had public updates for 15 months. Although details are scarce, rumors suggest that any information should provide a significant revolution in gameplay, surpassing superficial improvements like a larger map or enhanced graphics.
GTA 6 is the new installment of the action-adventure sandbox in an open world by Rockstar Games. Wrapped in expectation and mystery, the sixth Grand Theft Auto marks the return of this legendary franchise 10 years after GTA 5 was released. Although little has been confirmed about the gameplay or the release date of this new GTA, everything seems to indicate that we are facing what will be the most expensive game in history. Still, with each passing day, new rumors and juicy leaks come to delight the entire gaming community. Would you like to know more? This is everything we know about GTA VI to date.
Take-Two is one of those companies that does much more than it seems. Although they are especially known for being the parent company of Rockstar, the developers of GTA, they are actually a company with a large catalog of companies and IPs. They have a significant impact on the industry throughout the year and not just when they release the event game of the decade every time Rockstar finishes it. Each time more slowly. That’s why it’s so interesting to see their latest quarterly results. And so concerning. Let’s start with the good news. GTA6 has not suffered any delays […]
Take-Two is one of those companies that does much more than it seems. Although they are especially known for being the parent company of Rockstar, the developers of GTA, they are actually a company with a large catalog of companies and IPs. They have a significant impact on the industry throughout the year and not just when they release the event game of the decade every time Rockstar completes it. Each time more slowly. That’s why it’s so interesting to see their latest quarterly results. And so concerning.
Let’s start with the good news. GTA6 has not suffered any delays and its release is still scheduled for the fall of 2025, leaving us with approximately a year until we can enjoy the game. This has not changed since the last time we heard something about the game, and we should celebrate it: a delay a year before the game’s release is very common, and the fact that it hasn’t happened means that the development is stable and they are not encountering any kind of production problem that needs to be addressed radically.
The CEO of Take-Two, Strauss Zelnick, in an interview with CNBC talked about how to decide the release date of a game, shedding light on how they do it. For example, deciding what number of bugs are reasonable in a bug at the time of launching the game, since perfection is something more subject to subjectivity than objectivity.
Here come the bad news
These statements were the preface to something that may give us a 2025 less celebratory than we expected. And a 2024 darker than it already is. While announcing that GTA6 continues its progress without issues, Take-Two also announced that it was closing Private Division, its indie video game publishing division. Having published great successes like Kerbal Space Program 2, OlliOlli World, or Penny’s Big Breakaway, this feels like a great loss for the diversity of video games. And what reasons have they given for closing this publishing branch? Not that it didn’t make money, but that it didn’t make as much money as they wanted.
This sets a terrible precedent that could well end up affecting GTA6. Rumors about the budget being handled for the game suggest it might be the most expensive game in history. And it’s not far-fetched. With the massive success that was GTA5, it’s expected that the expectations of executives and investors for GTA6 are sky-high. And this could mean that GTA6 might become the best-selling game in history and at the same time, the biggest failure in history for not meeting its publisher’s expectations. A fear that becomes even more real, seeing the latest moves by Take-Two, and makes us worry about the health of the industry.
GTA 6 is the new installment of Rockstar Games' open-world action-adventure sandbox. Shrouded in expectation and mystery, the sixth Grand Theft Auto marks the return of this legendary franchise 10 years after GTA 5 hit the market. Although little has been confirmed about the gameplay or release date of this new GTA, everything seems to point to it being the most expensive game in history. Even so, with each passing day, new rumors and juicy leaks delight the entire gaming community. Would you like to know more? This is everything we know about GTA VI to date.
We have compiled the five most frustrating villains in the saga so that you do not feel sorry to go for them. Let the looting begin!
There is no good without evil or yin without yang, although in the GTA saga it is not very clear which is which: although there is a protagonist and an antagonist, the truth is that sometimes it is quite complicated to know which of the two is really the bad guy of the movie (or rather of the video game). In any case, what is clear is that in every installment of the saga there will be an enemy that will try to get under your nose throughout your game. Luckily, and so that you can be prepared, we have compiled the five most frustrating villains of the saga so that you won’t be embarrassed to go after them. Let the plundering begin!
Before GTA IV, Darko sold all his comrades in exchange for black money. And, despite everything, you can’t help but understand his pain. He is a broken person, destroyed by a war (the Bosnian one) in which he saw the people he loved die. If, when the time comes, you decided to kill him, you will surely still have a heavy heart for that “Thank you” he mumbles just before hitting him with the first of the twelve shots in the head. And in the end, revenge solves nothing. As always.
It was the game that started the large-scale craze for GTA: San Andreas. And the hatred for Big Smoke is not for less: he is the first friendly face you meet in the city, your colleague… and the person who would betray anyone to get to the top. His crimes include drug trafficking and the murder of an innocent woman, all to get more money and power. When you finally manage to finish him off it is not the triumphant moment you expected, but leaves a bitter aftertaste. In the end, you loved to hate him.
Several of these enemies have reasons to be villains, but Devin Weston doesn’t need it. And that’s why he is, by far, the most infuriating of all: he is absurdly millionaire, he has money to do whatever he wants and he never stops bragging and believing that everyone (literally, everyone) works for him. The best thing that can happen to him in GTA V is to end up in the trunk of a car that ends up exploding. He won’t be missed.
He may not be the most remembered villain of the saga, but he is the most psychopathic and evil. The main antagonist of Vice City (voiced by the recently deceased Tom Sizemore) is an egomaniac who used Tommy for fifteen years and in the end doesn’t even regret it when he dies in his arms. The good part is that he doesn’t cheat: from the first minute he comes across as a manipulative, greedy madman who is best left to time to forget.
1-Frank Tenpenny
You knew this list was going to end like this, didn’t you? A corrupt cop running a small criminal empire and murdering innocent civilians to maintain his public image, how could we like him? San Andreas is a great game with a villain to match. An absolutely terrible human being who at the same time is the first person you meet in the city. Leaving him lying on the ground and making a reference to that first encounter is the best way to leave him behind forever.
