Summary
Grand Theft Auto Onlinehas grown over the years to become a massive force for Rockstar, changing the dynamic of what kind of content and core experiences are expected from the franchise going forward. Multiplayer gameplay is now arguably just as important as single-player experiences for the IP, and this will have been at the forefront of Rockstar’s approach to developingGrand Theft Auto 6.
Since its first iteration in 2013,Grand Theft Auto Onlinehas become its own standalone release for the franchise, being an undeniably massive element ofGrand Theft Auto 5’s industry-topping commercial and cultural success. Away from its wacky high-octane races and sandbox fun,GTA Onlinehas also been an excellent way of carrying forward the narrative ofGTA 5, which has been a saving grace given the game’s complete lack of any single-player expansions. This will more than likely continue in the near future and in the run-up toGrand Theft Auto 6’s release, andGTA Onlinemight be the perfect vehicle to give players the first in-game taste ofGTA 6’s story.
GTA Online Can Set Up the Key Places and Characters of Grand Theft Auto 6
Grand Theft Auto Onlinehas garnered a surprising amount of narrative value over the years, with new sets of missions often released that feature a blend of new and returning characters. Iconic characters from the story ofGrand Theft Auto 5likeFranklin and Lamar have appeared extensively inGTA Onlinenarrativesover the years, offering a fascinating insight into how the lives of these figures have changed following the events of the game’s single-player story.
The likes of Lester Crest and Trevor Phillips have also appeared inGTA Onlinequite heavily since 2013, with the franchise’s dominant online mode proving itself extremely useful in providing short bursts of extra narrative content tied to the campaign. With this in mind, it only seems right that Rockstar should include someGTA 6-related content in the immediate run-up to the game’s release, and this could ease players into meeting someGTA 6characters as well as learning more about Vice City.
While it might be unrealistic to suggest thatGTA Onlineshould allow players to visit parts ofGTA 6’s map or even come into direct contact with its two protagonists, supporting characters fromGTA 6could easily make their first franchise appearances inGTA Online. These characters could introduce players to important events that lead up to the foundations ofGTA 6’s story, perhaps detailing things likehow Lucia was arrested and imprisoned.
GTA Online Also Needs to Connect Itself to GTA 6’s Multiplayer
With how successfulGTA Onlinehas been for Rockstar, it seems likely that there will be some carry-forward system between the game and the online experience ofGTA 6, and it would be good to narratively link players’GTA Onlinecharacters to the upcoming title. There could be future content that sees the player character having to move to Vice City to escape unwanted attention, or to pursue more lucrative criminal affairs, and featuring characters fromGTA 6inGTA Onlinewould be a great way to set this up.
Of course, asingle-player expansion toGTA 5would be an even better way of setting upGrand Theft Auto 6, but it seems highly unlikely that Rockstar will finally deliver on story-mode DLC so late on intoGTA 5’s life cycle. While there were once plans forGTA 5story expansions, they never came to fruition, withGTA Onlinebeing the most obvious avenue for any new narrative content for the game. Any futureGTA Onlinecontent should not give too much away regardingGTA 6’s core experience, but some early introductions and hints about the characters and world of the upcoming game would be a perfect reward for fans who have waited long enough for a new franchise entry.
