Grand Theft Auto 6 is going to be a big deal. I have no doubt that when it arrives in November it will break every single video game sales record known to man as it quickly becomes the best selling entertainment product of all time. For a game of this size, these predictions are not hyperbolic. Nor is it suggesting that Triple-A video games and the wider landscape will change forever.
Whether it lives up to decades of hype is another question entirely, but later this year we'll see millions of gamers simultaneously jumping into Rockstar's potential magnum opus and losing themselves in virtual worlds like never before. Its gorgeous setting of Leonidas seems like a place I'll be advancing the story, stabbing every stranger I meet, or losing countless hours wondering if it exists in its next generation world.
I don't want to forget that other video games exist when this blockbuster comes to an end, but looking at the current release calendar, I may not have a choice…
Grand Theft Auto 6 is untouchable
It was inevitable that other games would pave the way for Grand Theft Auto 6, but I didn't expect it to be this transparent. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 was announced last week with a late October release date, giving it two weeks in the spotlight before every one of its players jumps into Leonidas.
Aside from GTA 6 (and possibly EA Sports FC 27 for casual guns and ball players), it's easily the biggest triple-A game of the year, and even Activision is taking a calculated step back so it won't be swallowed up by Rockstar's behemoth.
I'd like to be in every publisher boardroom when GTA lags from May to November, possibly scrapping a bunch of release plans as projects are either brought forward or pushed out of sheer necessity. At least it gave the studios some decent notice. This is exactly what happened with Fable late last month; It just won't stand a chance.
While we've had some strategic release date placements in the past in response to Grand Theft Auto 6, this week's game status was an elaborate avalanche of big games that launched in blatant disregard for the damn thing. Here is a brief list:
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Blood of the Dawnwalker – September 3
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Marvel's Wolverine – September 15th
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Control Resonance – September 24
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Silent Hill Townfall – September 24th
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Onimusha: Path of the Sword – September 25
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Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve – September 28
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Rayman Legends Retold – October 1st
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Star Wars: Galactic Racer – October 6
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Phantom Blade Zero – October 29th
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Grand Theft Auto 6 – November 19
At the time of writing, there are no major video game releases or smaller indie titles set to launch in the month of November. Except for GTA 6 on November 19, it's a complete wasteland. Every developer or publisher with a brain knows that starting with this monster is retail suicide.
An average Joe is only going to make one obvious choice, and it falls in favor of Rockstar. I'm cautious and don't want to throw away all your profits in one desperate ration, but it seems like putting all these games together in one week would have an equally devastating effect.
So many video games, so little time
I cover video games for a living, and I also struggle to play all the latest releases when they start piling up, especially during this coming September where big hitters like Wolverine, Silent Hill, Control, Onimusha, Rayman, Ace Combat, and more are coming out in the space of a month.
Even as a collective team, it feels like we don't have the ability to judge these releases, let alone on an individual level. Even with access to the code, I have to pick my battles and decide what gets played and what doesn't. Now imagine that you are a normal person who actually pays for your video games. Panic!
You won't have time to play any of these releases when GTA 6 comes out, but having them all in the space of a month means you probably won't have as much money, while critics struggle to juggle all these different releases and risk not getting the exposure and attention they deserve. I want to play most of the games in the above list, but I don't have time now. And by the time I do, GTA 6 will be knocking on my door and demanding every waking moment I have.
I also imagine that many sports in this September window are kicking themselves because of the extensive competition they now have to fight. Some may bite the bullet and procrastinate again. It's off the fire and into the frying pan, but the frying pan is still not a good place to release your game. While it deserves to compete with Rockstar, it's hard not to pity the sales estimates of every major release that rears its head later this year. Godspeed to your wallets and attention spans come September.
