What GTA 6 MUST Learn From GTA 5

Rockstar's GTA 5 is still brilliant, but it's far from the perfect crime sandbox.

GTA 6 art
Rockstar

The three people who haven't experienced GTA 5's delights are about to have a ball when the latest edition drops on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Rockstar moulded a game so well-loved that even millions who bought it back in 2013 (and then again in 2014 on PS4/Xbox One) will plonk down their cash again for one more ride through the dizzying Los Santos.

5 has been milked to the point of excess by now – GTA Online, admittedly, remains a popular money-maker, and it'll easily keep the series purring along until 6 launches in a few years. In the interim, and before the final tweaks are put on the next game, everybody at Take-Two/Rockstar must sit down, replay their last adventure and figure out what GTA 6 can learn from its predecessor.

In short: A LOT.

The colourful capers of Michael, Franklin and Trevor were fun, but 5 wasn't perfect. Sure, that's heresy to some, but it's the truth. Although true developers can glean loads from what the prior title did really well, they can also learn a thing or two from what it did poorly.

10. Offline Single-Player Is Best

GTA 6 art
Twitter/@_Tom_Henderson_

GTA Online is a right laugh with the right people, but GTA soars when it’s an offline, single-player experience. That's why it's been so promising to hear Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick echo this in interviews – he noted that there's still a market for tightly-focused, single-player experiences.

Too right.

5 did the single-player thing better than most, especially during an era littered with online shooters. Despite the fact that gaming (like every other medium) has definitely evolved since 2013, one thing has remained steady. What is that? Well, people still crave a rich Grand Theft Auto world they can get lost in.

Rockstar don't have to integrate Online into the core experience. That's been discussed on social media, but it'd be a major mistake. No, keeping the offline story separate from all of Online's barmy charms sounds like the best strategy here. Staying true to GTA 6's narrative is vitally important.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.