Grand Theft Auto 6, the next installment in the highly successful Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, released a long-awaited teaser trailer on Monday, December 4. Rockstar, the studio behind the series, stated that the sixth installment in the series would be available by 2025. That would mark a 12-year gap between the release of GTA V, which hit stores on October 1, 2013, and GTA 6.
The widening production gap for triple A video games has been baked into consumer expectations for some time now. There was an eight-year gap between the release of Red Dead Redemption, which hit stores on May 18, 2010, and Red Dead Redemption 2, which was made available eight years later on October 26, 2018.
Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ:TTWO) is the parent company of Rockstar. Its shares have climbed 52% in 2023 as of close on December 4. The stock is up 47% year over year.
Investors should not sweat the wide production gap. GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 proved to be two of the most profitable pieces of entertainment in history. Beyond their strong sales, both iterations have continued to rake in cash through user engagement in their online components. In May 2023, Grand Theft Auto franchise revenues broke through the $8.33 billion mark. The franchise has sold over 400 million units since its inception.
GTA 6 will undoubtedly generate tremendous revenues for Take-Two Interactive. Rockstar has proven to be incredibly bankable while also establishing itself as a critical darling with the amazing attention-to-detail and solid writing that have made its games fan favourites. Consumers will anxiously await the release of GTA 6 over the next two years.
