GTA 6 is carrying so much hype, it’s practically a video game black hole that’s sure to suck up every last bit of everyone’s time and attention when it launches next summer. But Rockstar Games’ co-founder and former GTA lead Dan Houser has explained why the upcoming game is so anticipated, even if he’s not a part of it anymore.
Speaking to Lex Fridman, Houser said people are so excited for GTA 6 “because they don’t come out that regularly,” which might be an understatement considering GTA 5 originally released way back in 2013, although big time gaps aren’t the only reason Grand Theft Auto games feel like cultural events.
“I think we did a really good job of constantly innovating within what the IP was,” Houser continued. “The games always felt different, you know, people have very strong feelings… because they [the games] are pretty different [from each other]. It’s a Grand Theft Auto, you know it’s gonna be a game about being a criminal, but the way it’s going to be a game is going to change quite a lot. So, I think, the way the IP kept evolving made people really excited to play it.”
The final piece of the puzzle is that Rockstar Games “were good at marketing them, as well,” and the team “really tried to market them in a way that felt like an update of classic film marketing.” It’s a tradition GTA 6’s first two trailers have continued, too, with less of an emphasis on clear-cut gameplay and more of a focus on the characters, the world, and the satire.
