Grand Theft Auto 6 has built up an incredible amount of buzz despite very little information being released. Fans can be pleased that a trailer will be released for the new GTA game sometime in December. However, that trailer will most likely reveal more information about GTA6 than anyone truly knows. Gamers have been itching for a new installment in the GTA franchise for just about a decade now, but game developers at Rockstar could be wise to take their time. High expectations mean there is very little room for failure. Rockstar wants to make sure they get GTA6 right. 

Fans can hold their breath just a little bit. Rockstar Games hasn't failed their fans much in the past. The studio's most recent big-time title, Red Dead Redemption 2 has received critical acclaim. This should almost make a great GTA6 game feel like a safe bet. Examining wider circumstances, however, reveals that there may be more potential for disappointment than fans might have hoped. 

GTA6 has unfortunately already been leaked quite a bit. While it's great for fans to get a little sneak peek at what the game might have in store, it's quite clear that GTA6 simply isn't ready to come out yet. The response to these leaks indicates how out of proportion some expectations have become, as early gameplay footage was met with the kind of backlash best reserved for a legitimately disappointing final product. If standards for a game that isn't finished are already that high, it's hard to picture the finished game that meets the standards of GTA's fanbase. 

GTA6 Production Timeline = Too Much Hype

GTA5 was released in 2013, which is just about to be over a decade ago. While Rockstar kept quiet about any sort of development of GTA6 for some time, it was clear the next game would be made at some point. It's hard to imagine fans thought it would take this long. Luckily, GTA5 has been an incredible game that has lasted the test of time. The story mode is replayable, and the online play opportunities are endless. However, this is the longest chunk of time between the release of the next installment in the GTA franchise. Fans have been waiting seemingly too long, which means anything but perfect won't be good enough. 

The main question to ask is what's taking so long? There are simply many roadblocks and challenges in the process of producing a major game like GTA. The biggest challenge for GTA6 is undoubtedly how difficult it must be to build a major city to modern open-world standards. GTA5's Los Santos was great, but after over ten years of wait time, fans are expecting something bigger, bolder, and better. GTA6 has quite the balancing act to manage to build a city with the right amount of interactivity.

There's no guarantee that GTA6 will struggle with any of this at all. For all we know the game's production is taking so long because Rockstar is about to drop one of the best games ever seen. If fans assume that it will be the best game ever, there is only room for disappointment. Again, it's highly unlikely that Rockstar would ship a product that doesn't represent its incredibly high standards for open-world experiences. GTA6 will undoubtedly have plenty of surprises, good and bad. Fans should temper their expectations for the game so they can enjoy it when it's released.