Summary
To say thatGrand Theft Auto 6is highly anticipated would be a massive understatement. Rockstar’s next game will be the first new chapter in its flagship open-world crime series in over a decade, and it’s primed tofollowGrand Theft Auto’s rich history, while also hopefully iterating upon the series' formula in unique and surprising ways.
Grand Theft Autohas always been focused on satire. Unlike its more sober wild-west companion series,GTAis built on the back of comedy and tongue-in-cheek worldbuilding, presenting players with a vision of America so over-the-top and absurd that it often winds up being surprisingly poignant. Unforgettable inclusions like the series' countless TV and radio ads, marketing everything from medical cocaine to mandatory gun ownership, exemplify the franchise’s attitude toward the inherently ridiculous nature of the USA. Virtually no group is safe from these attacks, asGTAhurls jokes at hardcore conservatives and liberals alike, poking fun at authoritarian government institutions, corporate culture, and performative progressive movements in equal measure.GTA 6will no doubt continue this tradition, and for better or worse, Rockstar could have a field day with recent real-world events.
2024 Offers GTA 6 Plenty of Ammo for Political Commentary
GTA 6’s reveal trailer gave a glimpse into its satirical leanings, leveraging the all-too-familiar instances of off-the-rails Florida antics, making not-so-subtle references to real-world news stories. The trailer’s emphasis on social media suggests that the game could comment on the current state of parasocial relationships, performative content, and online communities, which have all radically transformed since the era ofGTA 5’s release. AlthoughGTA 6is already taking inspiration from the more ludicrous aspects of the modern age, there has been plenty that has occurred just this year that the game can draw from.
Naturally,GTA 6will make fun of Florida stereotypes, but the broader American cultural landscape is ripe for comedic potential as well. Controversial subjects like the erratic theater that is the 2024 election, for instance, could make for surreal and prescient Easter eggs and references. The public reaction to moments like the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, or the historic withdrawal of Biden from the presidential race, may be obvious issues to tackle in a satirical manner. Then, there are the more absurd news stories, like the infamous J.D. Vance couch rumor and Rudy Giuliani’s AI-generated coffee packaging.
GTA 6 Can Go Beyond the Political Arena
AI in general seems like a solid subject for satire. The problem of AI has infiltrated the games industry, as evidenced by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, which has ironicallynot affectedGTA 6’s development. But withGTA 6’s potential focus on social media and the internet, there are plenty of opportunities to poke fun at opportunistic AI gold-rush enthusiasts and the prospect of things like virtual girlfriends, which is a bizarrely burgeoning industry.
Like in years past, 2024 has seen the cancelation of numerous large influencers and celebrities, often for shameful and disgusting sexual misconduct allegations. Many of these stories,specifically the Dr. Disrespect fiasco, are intimately tied to gaming culture, making it a good entry point for broader criticism of the gaming and entertainment industries, which is something thatGTA 6shouldn’t shy away from. Perhaps the game could even make fun of itself, asGTAis certainly no stranger to microtransactions and live-service conventions that can be seen as silly and controversial.
Of course,GTA 6is releasing in 2025, so it’s unlikely that these potential 2024 jokes could appear in major cutscenes or anything like that. But ifGTA 6has an interactive social media or internet feature like its predecessor, then it would be relatively easy to throw in a few cheeky references and jokes through that avenue.
Grand Theft Auto 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
