There is no game regarded higher in the modern era, than Grand Theft Auto V . The fifth main installment of Rockstar's high-octane crime-centered series launched to unprecedented critical acclaim. Almost eight years after its original release, the game is still just as popular as ever, continuing to be among the highest viewed titles across YouTube and Twitch.
Because of the insane hype levels surrounding the most recent installment, demand for a follow-up has been persistent, more so now than ever, as next-gen consoles hit the market. Just as the last console generation saw, Rockstar has promised a next-gen upgraded version of Grand Theft Auto V that will arrive in late 2021 on PS5 with most presuming the enhanced edition will hit Xbox consoles at the same time.
However, for most fans, the fifth title in the series was their first. Despite the mature age rating, the title is massive amongst younger audiences, especially in its popular co-op online mode. The Grand Theft Auto series has a long history, dating back to the original 2D title published in 1997.
This has left many to question whether remastered editions of past titles in the series could be in the cards for Rockstar. Many of the past titles including Grand Theft Auto IV, Vice City, and San Andres, are still highly regarded to this day, despite their dated graphics. Apparently, fans aren't the only ones wondering, as the question was posed to Rockstar too, during their recent third-quarter earnings call.
GTA V KEEPS ON HITTING
VGC has reports on a key portion of Take-Two Interactive's most recent earnings call, in which the published highlighted the ongoing success of Grand Theft Auto V. Take-Two CEO, Strauss Zelnick, detailed the success of the title, confirming 2020 was the most successful year for GTA V since its initial 2013 launch:
“Grand Theft Auto V remains one of the most iconic titles ever released and it continues to exceed our expectations, having sold in over 140 million units. In fact, in calendar 2020, more copies of Grand Theft Auto V were sold than in any other year except for 2013 when it first launched on PS3 and Xbox 360.”
Most investor calls tend to involve a Q&A segment in which stakeholders can pose questions to the higher-ups of the studio. An analyst questioned whether the studio would be open to releasing remasters of past Grand Theft Auto titles in the future. The analyst cited the clear appetite amongst the gaming community for Grand Theft Auto content and noted that many fans wouldn't have yet experienced the older titles. Zelnick responded saying:
“It’s a great and encouraging question. I’m kind of inclined to leave it more as a statement than a question and any update on our release schedule will come from Rockstar Games.”
THE PAST IS THE FUTURE
Remasters have become a key part of the modern gaming landscape, and no franchise seems better suited to it than Grand Theft Auto. As fans continue to crave more from the world of Grand Theft Auto, and with no sign of G TA 6 arriving anytime soon, revisiting the past seems like the perfect way to whet fans' appetite.
This leaves the obvious question, which title should be remastered first? As the most modern of the past titles, Grand Theft Auto IV seems like the perfect fit for the remaster treatment. Many of the older titles hold a great level of nostalgia among fans, however, the mechanics are incredibly outdated and would need a lot of work to fit into the expectations for a modern game.
Meanwhile, the Grand Theft Auto IV adventures of Niko Bellic in Liberty City, are just modern enough to be a perfect fit, intriguing newer fans while giving the older ones a taste of nostalgia.
If Rockstar has taught us one thing, it's impossible to predict what they will do next. So gamers will have to wait and see what the future holds for the publisher, but for now, Grand Theft Auto V is set to arrive for next-gen consoles in late 2021 with exclusive perks on PS5.