As the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) draws closer, fans of GTA Online may be wondering if there will be another major update before the new title arrives.
Rockstar Games typically releases GTA Online updates every six months, but with the focus shifting towards GTA 6, it’s unlikely that we’ll see another large update before the game’s release. Here are five reasons why:
1) Rockstar is Focusing More on GTA 6
With GTA 6 being Rockstar’s most ambitious project to date, the studio has shifted a large portion of its resources to finishing the game.
This shift has already affected the scale of GTA Online updates, and it’s expected that even more manpower will be dedicated to GTA 6 as its release approaches. As a result, GTA Online updates are likely to remain small, if they come at all.
2) To Shift the Player Base to the New Title
Once GTA 6 is released, Rockstar will want players to migrate to the new game quickly. Big updates for GTA Online typically keep players engaged and bring back old users, but Rockstar is unlikely to invest in such updates when the focus will be on transitioning players to GTA 6.
3) Updates Are Getting Smaller Over Time
In recent years, GTA Online updates have been gradually shrinking in size. The last significant update was The Contract in December 2021, which introduced Dr. Dre to the game.
Since then, updates like Agents of Sabotage have been smaller in terms of new content. Given this trend, it’s unlikely that Rockstar will release another large update before GTA 6 drops.
4) To Maximize Revenue from GTA 6
Major updates in GTA Online generate significant revenue for Rockstar, but with GTA 6 on the horizon, Rockstar will likely want to focus on maximizing revenue from the new title.
Releasing big updates for GTA Online could distract from their goal of making GTA 6 the highest-grossing game upon its release.
5) To Shift Old-Gen Players to Current-Gen Consoles
GTA 6 will only be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, leaving behind older consoles. While Rockstar has made efforts to encourage players to switch to current-gen consoles by offering exclusive content, large updates for GTA Online could keep players on older consoles. By not releasing major updates, Rockstar can further push players to upgrade their hardware.
Given the focus on GTA 6, it seems unlikely that GTA Online will receive any more major updates before the new game’s release.
Instead, Rockstar will likely release smaller updates and focus on preparing for the highly anticipated launch of GTA 6.
