For what was already an iconic franchise,Grand Theft Auto 5has lifted the series to a new level of fame. Just in 2020 alone, the game was able to sell 20 million units, which brought the game’s total sales to around 140 million. This is thanks, in large part, to the immersive experience that Rockstar has provided inGrand Theft Auto Online.This online mode allows up to 30 players to run freely on the game map as they build their criminal empires. Rockstar did a great job at creating an online platform inGrand Theft Auto 5that keeps players coming back, be it for the new heist update or to check the progress of their forgery labs.
However, as impressive asGrand Theft Auto Onlineis, it could always stand to be better. Other games have shown that interactive events like concerts and big reveals have the potential to excite fans and provide an extremely immersive experience. As cool as aTravis Scott concert was inFortnite,imagine listening to Nicki Minaj perform live while chilling inside of a high class venue like the Diamond Casino.GTA Onlinewould serve itself by becoming more interactive and immersive as well, as the mod FiveM has shown. It might be too late to implement this inGrand Theft Auto 5,but the future forGTA Onlineis wide open.
Fortnite’s Interactive Events
Fortniteseemed to tap into some kind of well when it came to player retention. What started as a hit-game evolved into a cultural phenomenon, and was only further evolved by the lore and events tied to the in-game map. The first live and interactiveFortniteevent was a meteorfalling from the sky, eventually taking out a factory on the map. The events would only increase in scale from then, and has brought in famous characters from all sorts of popular IPs.
Apart from the events that changed the reality and map ofFortnite,the game also tried some new concepts with entertainment. The Travis Scott concert was a way to celebrate all ofFortnite’s past events while allowing players to attend a live concert performed by a Travis Scott hologram. The event threw players all across the map, and was a great time. There were also events that worked as press releases, like the “Live at Risky Reels” event. Rockstar seemed to dip their toes in this with the current version ofGTA Online,as the in-game nightclubsthat players can buy will feature special guest DJs.
These kind of events would make theworld ofGTA Onlinefeel that much more lived in, like there was always something happening when the player logs in. In all reality, Rockstar could create a new medium for entertainment and gaming events, if it wanted to expand the world that far. This would certainly come in handy in creating more accessibility to these types of events, which the Covid-19 pandemic proved is a necessary resource to have.
FiveM’s Success
TheFiveM platform allows gamers to playGTA Onlinewith different mods. The platform puts a heavy emphasis on role-playing as the players live out regular lives inGTA Onlineas cops, firefighters, taxi drivers, and more. It was first made popular by content creators looking for new interactions with players. The immersive qualities of FiveM’s platform have proven that ifGrand Theft Auto 6wanted to go a similar route, it would be welcomed among the thousands of players who enjoy FiveM now. The freedom for the player to be whoever they want was a big draw toGTA Online,and FiveM evolved on that.
Some popular servers include custom jobs that allow players to dress up and play in different professions. That’s something thatGTA Onlinecould evolve on and would guarantee that fans feel a little more positive about the next title. It would be really interesting if players could supplement the taxi driving force and allow them to drive players around the in-game map like an Uber. Any inspirationGrand Theft Auto 6/Onlinetakes from theimmersive FiveM RP servers, and polishes, will also serve as notice that Rockstar is paying attention to what its fans like.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Online
It’s likely that Rockstar has pushedGTA Onlineas far as it can go, with the many updates that explore different avenues of criminal enterprises. The larger systems in the game are typically centered around Heists, but the newGrand Theft Autowill likely be much larger in scope. The current-gen consoles will be able to handle more complex tasks. Seeing how much players love just living in the online world, they could use these advanced systems to make it more interactive.
Not much is known aboutGrand Theft Auto 6,but it would stand to reason that the next game will belarger thanGrand Theft Auto 5.If the map is bigger, it makes sense that there will be more room for these events to happen as well. It’s rumored that the main story will put a much heavier emphasis on the drug trade around Vice City or some other modern city. The main story will likely be separate, andGTA Onlinewill be where Rockstar goes to introduce new concepts.
The next version ofGTA Onlinedoesn’t have to be as immersive andinteractive asRed Dead Redemption 2.However, it would serve it to evolve the concepts that madeGrand Theft Auto 5so popular. That is including the world that allows them to live out a new life. This could include adding interactive live events to creating new job opportunities that put an innovative spin on the online gameplay. With rumors thatGrand Theft Auto 6has been in development for quite some time, fans are almost definitely closer to the nextGrand Theft Autothan the last one.
Grand Theft Auto 5is out now for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.
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