Publishers Fear GTA 6 Like the Plague, While Zelnick Offers Reassurance
OPla G
29 Mar 22:30
20
0A week ago, we reported that the gaming industry is under stress due to the uncertainty surrounding the actual release date of GTA 6 this fall. Developers want to avoid launching their games simultaneously with the industry juggernaut, which could steal all the public’s attention and money. And it’s not just small indie studios that are concerned — even giants like EA, with its next Battlefield, are hesitant, though they haven’t explicitly stated the reason. Everyone understands the risks.
The Game Business published anonymous comments from three publishing executives who all describe, in different words, the danger of releasing their games near Grand Theft Auto VI. Additionally, developers of some of the most popular live-service games are also avoiding major updates during this risky period to ensure their content doesn’t go unnoticed.
The same article also presents data from Ampere, analyzing what other games GTA 5 / GTA Online players engage with. The numbers are approximate and cover various periods over the last six months:
There are also other interesting insights. On average, players return to Fortnite 7-8 days a month, to Call of Duty 6-7 days, while Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online have a slightly lower engagement — only 4-5 days per month.
Now, back to GTA 6. In a recent Bloomberg interview, Strauss Zelnick was asked multiple business-related questions, including the most pressing one: when will the game be released? The CEO didn’t give a direct answer, as expected, but he did share the marketing strategy. The campaign will reportedly begin shortly before launch. This fuels cautious optimism that Grand Theft Auto VI may indeed arrive this fall.
The Game Business published anonymous comments from three publishing executives who all describe, in different words, the danger of releasing their games near Grand Theft Auto VI. Additionally, developers of some of the most popular live-service games are also avoiding major updates during this risky period to ensure their content doesn’t go unnoticed.
The same article also presents data from Ampere, analyzing what other games GTA 5 / GTA Online players engage with. The numbers are approximate and cover various periods over the last six months:
- Roblox — 22%;
- Fortnite — 21%;
- EA Sports FC 25 — 12.9%;
- Call of Duty — 12.3%;
- Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Zero — 6.7%;
- Star Wars Outlaws — 5.3%;
- Dragon’s Dogma 2 — 3.3%;
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth — 3.2%;
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 — 3.1%;
- Metaphor: ReFantazio — 1.3%.
There are also other interesting insights. On average, players return to Fortnite 7-8 days a month, to Call of Duty 6-7 days, while Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online have a slightly lower engagement — only 4-5 days per month.
Now, back to GTA 6. In a recent Bloomberg interview, Strauss Zelnick was asked multiple business-related questions, including the most pressing one: when will the game be released? The CEO didn’t give a direct answer, as expected, but he did share the marketing strategy. The campaign will reportedly begin shortly before launch. This fuels cautious optimism that Grand Theft Auto VI may indeed arrive this fall.
