While Grand Theft Auto 6 is reported to be in early development, the next monumental release of Rockstar could still be years away. The company recently announced that it plans to support the current version of GTA Online well into 2021. That allowed developers to buy more time to form GTA 6 in a narrative and technical masterpiece, but to achieve that, GTA 6 must be fully playable in virtual reality. Here’s why.
The 2013 release of GTA 5 revolutionized the open world game genre with its lively, breathtaking digital view of Los Angeles and its dynamic collection of stories through its three main characters. GTA 6 should provide an even greater sandbox experience and broken down cast of characters. Pack everything that could turn into an immersive VR experience GTA 6 the game that makes VR really mainstream.
Imagine wading wildly in and out of city traffic in a sports car as you enter a massive shoot out with a rival criminal organization, all in VR.
This may all seem desirable at the moment, but a recent hint from a VR developer who has worked with Rockstar in the past and recent steps in the GTA 5 modding community suggests a fully VR compatible GTA 6 is not far-fetched.
In July, LA Noire: The VR case files developer Video Games Deluxe announced on LinkedIn that it has hired programmers, designers and animators for a mystery VR title for Rockstar. The post originally described the upcoming title as “an AAA open world title in VR for Rockstar,” but was edited to exclude that crucial piece after several news outlets reported on the sheer detail.
VGD has only ever done spinoff VR titles for Rockstar, so it could put an a in each other GTA 5 of Red Dead Redemption 2 VR short. The description did not indicate the length of the title they are working on, so it could very well be GTA 6 in VR.
Translating massive environments from Rockstar to VR is also not foreign. Modders have already been made GTA 5 fully VR compatible. The REAL mod for GTA 5 on Windows, Rockstar’s original third-person crime adventure transforms into a first-person VR experience, cuts and everything. It seems a bit complicated to get to work, but once running, creator LukeRoss00 says it will work on all Oculus and SteamVR headsets. This mod answered the call of the many VR fanatics who have been waiting a long time, but some gamers still hold out hope that Rockstar will roll out an official GTA in VR.
“Far from conquering for me personally. Must be an official VR patch before I will have it happen,” Facebook user Kirk Johnston commented in a news story on the REAL mod. “Too bad it takes a random fan to do things like this instead of the company itself.”
These dreams could come true depending on what VGD cooks for Rockstar, but do not expect exclusive VR GTA 6 released. Rockstar’s nurse fan GTA Online suggests that as many people as possible will want to play his signature open world series. A single-VR GTA 6 would limit involvement only to a franchise whose popularity is really unattainable.
GTA 6 should instead come with an optional VR mode, which could inspire more gamers to pick up VR gear and make the long-awaited sequel a must-buy for anyone who already has the tech. Implement something close that could make GTA 6 as influential as GTA 5 has been the last seven years by delivering a mind-bogglingly massive open world experience in VR.
GTA 6 is reported in development.
