When Rockstar Games dropped the highly anticipated GTA 6 trailer back in December last year, fans were relieved to finally see the game in action. The fact that GTA 5 was released more than a decade ago and Rockstar had been rather quiet and secretive about the next title in the franchise for far too long was frustrating fans for a long time.
Once the trailer dropped, however, fans were disappointed to see the release date mentioned as 2025. After an infuriating wait for the trailer, having to wait more than a year for the game to drop says a lot about Rockstar Games’ strategy of releasing a finished product rather than rushing it.
Perfection and Optimization Before GTA 6 Release
During a recent earnings call, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick justified the delayed release date for the next GTA title as the developers wish to have the game perfectly optimized before release.
Answering a question by Timothy O’Shea from BMO Capital Markets about who makes the final call for the release of GTA 6 and what motivates them, Zelnick began with the following quote:
We’re seeking perfection and when we feel we’ve optimized creatively, that’s the time to release.
Zelnick went on to say it’s a team effort, and in terms of incentives and motivations, Zelnick revealed that the financial incentives are aligned throughout all of the employees and shareholders, along with a profit-sharing plan.
Concluding his reply, Zelnick mentioned that there is an inherent tension between “getting something to market and creating perfection” but that the company “errs on the side of perfection.” This will no doubt please fans and investors as everyone eagerly waits for the grand release of GTA 6.
Fans Will Now Be a Lot Less Worried About GTA 6
Fans who were concerned over the next big AAA game’s stability should now feel a lot more hopeful that the game will be playable when it finally comes out.
The last big release by Rockstar Games was a remastered trilogy of titles that came packed as Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition including Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
All three of those titles were remastered to suit modern consoles and PCs. While the classic games were brought back to life with improved visuals, it wasn’t well-optimized. Several fans started reporting the game dropping frame rates, glitches, and stutters throughout the gameplay on both PCs and consoles.
Several other rushed games have also failed miserably in recent times, prime examples being The Day After and Skull Island: Rise of Kong. Given all of the recent failures, the move by Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games to err on the side of perfection should be a major relief for fans.
GTA 6 is also rumored to hit the $100 price tag when it finally gets released so fans will hope for a better experience right from day one.
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