Rockstar Games is a storied developer with a ton of pedigree within the industry. Part of that comes down to how long it takes and how meticulous it is with games likeRed Dead RedemptionandGrand Theft Auto; however, it made a ton of games before that such asBully, Max Payne, Midnight Club, and more. Slowly the studio transitioned from multiple titles to two main IPs:Red DeadandGrand Theft Auto.
Part of its workflow inherently seems to limit its focus. This is heartbreaking for fans ofBully,but it makes sense from the company’s perspective. This, in some way, likely played a role in thecancellation ofBully 2, and as it stands, the recent announcement and movements aroundGrand Theft Auto 6could be concerning forRed Deadfans. It’s hard not to see recent announcements and developments as anything but particularly bad forRed Dead.
RELATED:Red Dead Redemption 2 PS5 and Xbox Series X Upgrades Could Be in Jeopardy
Rockstar’s Choice Between GTA 6 and Red Dead
Red Dead Redemption 2would be a huge success by any company’s standards, yet over time, Rockstar has moved further and further away from supporting it. Fans have been upset about the state ofRed Dead Onlinefor months, which never took off asGTA Onlinedid, and the developer recently confirmed it would slowsupport forRDOto focus onGTA 6.The announcement amounts to slowing support for a game with slow support, which is not a good sign.
It is too early to say definitively, but there is concern that Rockstar could dwindle from being known for two games to being known for one game. If Rockstar feels like it has to make a choice betweenRed DeadandGTA, the answer is obvious. Both games sold well, butGTAhas unprecedented success in the industry.
For comparison, the entireRed Dead Redemptionfranchise had reportedly sold 44 million units as of May 2022. It’s also worth noting thatRed Dead Redemption 2is one of the most expensive games ever made, even more reportedly more thanGTA 5. Grand Theft Auto, on the other hand, has sold over 370 million units. One could argue there are more entries in the latter franchise, but then GTA 5 itself has sold over 165 million copies as of May 2022. In other words, it’s not even close. That’s not even considering microtransactions brought in byGTA Onlinevs.Red Dead Online, where the former is obviously more lucrative.
RELATED:GTA Online Law Enforcement Update Announced
Rockstar is Huge, But Not That Huge
As game development requires more and more manpower, even with advancing technology, big companies can feel the squeeze when a certain quality is not met. Rockstar Games is known for its games, but it’s also known thatit crunched onRed Dead Redemption 2. Crunch is something all developers should avoid, as the actual human cost in terms of mental and physical health is not worth it.
The good news is Rockstar is reportedly trying to turn this around. One early report onGrand Theft Auto 6suggested it would release moderately sizeand be expanded over time, as a method of avoiding crunch. In other words, Rockstar could find itself supporting bothGTA OnlineandGrand Theft Auto 6extensively, if the latter lives up to its predecessor. It’s very unlikely Rockstar can replicate the exact success ofGTA 5, but it will try, and many will flock to it regardless because of the name.
Grand Theft Auto 6is ultimately good forGTAfans and good for Rockstar, but it’s not good forRed Dead. It’s even worse for games likeBully.The developer is even outsourcing, effectively, the remakes ofMax Payne, showing how little time it has for its other IPs. Older Rockstar titles could get traction in this manner, although the reception ofGTA Trilogy: The Definitive Editionhas reportedaxed other remasters likeGTA 4andRDR. But if Rockstar is doing right by its people and avoiding crunching, while also supporting its most successful franchise, that doesn’t leave room for a newRed Deadanytime soon. This is not a justification for crunch whatsoever; it just seems that the human cost, as well as the profits, to do anything but focus onGrand Theft Autocould become tighter and tighter as years move on.
Sure, Rockstar will eventually finish withGrand Theft Auto 6, but whether that’s five years from now or ten years from now remains to be seen. At this point, it could perhaps focus on anotherRed Deadtitle instead. But it’s going to look at its options, and from the outside looking in, it’s hard to imagine howRed Dead’s priority would compare to moreGTAcontent. No one wants to lose Red Dead,but when it comes down to numbers, manhours, profit, and so on, there’s no competing withGrand Theft Auto.
Grand Theft Auto 6is in development.
MORE:Red Dead Redemption 2 Mod Makes Good Look and Feel More Realistic
