The Future of GTA Online After GTA 6's Release: What We Know
The release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) in Fall 2025 has left many GTA Online players wondering about the fate of their beloved game. With GTA 6 on the horizon, concerns are rising regarding the future of their investments – time, effort, and money – in the current iteration of GTA Online. Will Rockstar Games abandon the original GTA Online for a fresh start with a potential "GTA Online 2"?
GTA Online's enduring popularity and profitability have significantly influenced Rockstar's decisions, prioritizing live service updates over story DLC for GTA 5. This has caused some fan frustration, but the upcoming GTA 6 release presents a more pressing issue.
The prevailing expectation is that GTA 6 will introduce a new and enhanced GTA Online experience, whether it's a sequel or a continuation under the same name. This uncertainty has fueled concerns among players that their progress and investments in the current GTA Online might become obsolete.
Why invest further in the current GTA Online in early 2025 when a potential successor could launch within months? This question was posed to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick. His response offers some insight. While he avoided specifics about a new GTA Online due to its unannounced status, he drew a parallel with NBA 2K Online.
NBA 2K Online, launched in 2012, was followed by NBA 2K Online 2 in 2017. Notably, both versions coexisted, allowing players to continue enjoying the original while the newer version was introduced. Zelnick stated, "Generally speaking, we support our properties when the consumers are involved with those titles. We've shown a willingness to support legacy titles when a community wants to be engaged with them."
This statement suggests that a potential GTA Online 2 might not replace the original. Continued player engagement with the current GTA Online could lead to its continued support alongside any new version.
However, significant details about GTA 6 remain undisclosed. Only a trailer and a release window have been revealed. With GTA 6's Fall 2025 release potentially following Borderlands 4's September launch, Rockstar will need to provide more information soon. Until then, the future of GTA Online remains a question mark, although Zelnick's comments offer a glimmer of hope for current players.
