Microsoft claims they believe Grand Theft Auto 6 will be releasing in 2024.
This is one of the many tidbits we have been picking up between Microsoft and Sony as they make arguments regarding Microsoft’s pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Both submitted lengthy documents to make their case to the UK CMA, and the game press have been discovering surprising new assertions like these in their attempt to explain their side.
So, in Microsoft’s arguments to the CMA, where they argue that there is a lot of shooters playable on non-Microsoft platforms, they make this statement (edited for clarity):
“Take-Two Interactive which publishes Grand Theft Auto V, remains many years after its release in 2013, and Red Dead Redemption 2, The highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be released in 2024. Both games are considered by major digital storefronts, such as Steam, to have shooter elements. Grand Theft Auto V is also available on PlayStation, whereas Red Dead Redemption is also available on PlayStation and Stadia.”
Microsoft is making this statement in relation to larger arguments about competition in the shooter genre in the video game industry. They are making the assertion that even in the situation where they decide to stop publishing Call of Duty games on Sony’s platforms, there are plenty of other video games, even in the same genre, which Sony can tout as alternatives to the Activision shooter franchise.
It’s an interesting argument for sure. Because of a huge leak of Grand Theft Auto 6 and Grand Theft Auto 5 data a few months ago, there had been speculation that the game could have faced huge delays, after what was already a protracted development period.
Rockstar Games was quick and blunt to point out that they had taken all the steps necessary to close out all the issues related to the leak to investors. In a broader statement to the public, they reassured fans that the situation did not delay production of the game in any way.
So it’s easy to be skeptical of Rockstar’s statement, but it is possible that Rockstar Games and Microsoft have been making communications on this matter. Maybe Microsoft really does have a good understanding of how far development of Grand Theft Auto 6 has gone. So they have the full confidence to give a ballpark date for when the game will be releasing.
Source: The Game Spoof
