News this week linking Grand Theft Auto 6 with a release date this year should be seen as positive for both PlayStation and Xbox gamers. However, there seems a good chance that it will be proven wrong in the months ahead. The latest predictions estimate that Rockstar Games will launch its next Grand Theft Auto game during 2021. It would top an epic waiting period for fans to play GTA 6, and it would also likely rule out the game as a cross-generational title. However, a supposed retail leak this week suggests that Rockstar could be ready to launch its next game project much sooner.
And that would mean the GTA 6 release date is set during 2020, cutting the wait time for fans from a year, to mere months.
A European Retail site has listed the next Grand Theft Auto game as coming out during the current year, although no set month or day of the week was provided.
The listing how now been removed but it came alongside mocked-up cover art and the news that it would be released on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
This is all great news for GTA 5 fans who want to play the next instalment in the series without having to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X.
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But while leaks such as these have popped up in the past, there is still a good chance that this will prove to be a mistake.
The idea that Rockstar Games will launch a game the same year they announced it would be a big development from the famous studio.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was announced during October 2016, only to be delayed for around two years.
It would also be surprising to hear that GTA 6 is being launched on PC alongside PS4 and Xbox One.
That’s not something Rockstar is known for and would make for a massive launch day on all platforms.
However, we can’t completely discredit this leak for now, as we have seen other games revealed in this way before.
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Gamers got their first glimpse of Need for Speed Heat in the same manner, while Switch gamers found out about a Metro Exodus port last year.
And there could also be good reasons behind Rockstar changing its release habits for GTA 6.
With the rise of GTA Online, Rockstar Games will probably want to replace GTA 5 on all platforms as soon as they can.
The Grand Theft Auto multiplayer mode has become a massive cash cow for parent company Take-Two Interactive, and the idea of waiting months or years for a PC port may look daunting.
Then there is the question of GTA 6 appearing on PS4 and Xbox One and how that would also benefit Rockstar Games.
While the old console hardware would limit how big GTA 6 could be, the install base for the PS4 and Xbox One is massive.
It would allow Take-Two to sell millions of copies straight out of the gate alongside the PC version.
It would also provide Rockstar Games with the opportunity to release an upgraded version of GTA 6 on PS5 and Xbox Series X in 2021.
So while it seems very unlikely that this retail leak will prove correct, there’s still hope for PS4 and Xbox One gamers in 2020.