It’s hard to believe that Grand Theft Auto 3 was released a quarter of a century ago. What is perhaps even more remarkable is that the game is still extremely playable and holds up, even in the face of much larger innovations.
For those of us who remember 2001 and the gaming landscape at the time, it would be a stretch to say that Rockstar was an unknown entity in the world of gaming; far from it. GTA 3 changed all that, spearheading 21st-century gaming innovations.
So, the question many people now have on their mind is: can GTA VI groundbreak and innovate in the same way GTA 3 did all those years ago? To answer this question, we need to explore just how creative GTA 3 was, and some of the ways GTA VI needs to innovate to match the same levels of anticipation and success.
Birdseye To Open World - GTA’s Big Bang Moment
The open-world design, the deep, layered storyline, and highly sophisticated gaming design were met with universal acclaim; even 25 years on, it is still considered a watershed moment in the gaming industry.
It was an unprecedented moment that expanded the perceived capabilities of the PlayStation 2, the highest-spec console of its time, and the game went on to become arguably the seminal title of the PS2 era. From this point on, it became a landmark and globally recognizable name in gaming - the challenge from here was to build on this success.
Building On Landmark Success
The challenge for Rockstar in a post-GTA 3 world was to continue capturing a global audience and to ensure each chapter was more playable and innovative than the last. For instance, Kenji, the Yakuza boss who owns a casino in GTA 3, is one of the game’s main protagonists and one of its standout designs on Staunton Island. However, Claude, the main character, cannot physically enter the casino and play casino games.
Gambling has become a significant part of GTA designs since San Andreas featured sprawling casinos, and GTA V featured The Diamond, where people can play online. If GTA 6 does have a gambling option, then to truly innovate and break boundaries in the same way GTA 3 did, you’d think they would have to branch into alternative payment methods.
This includes crypto and blockchain ideas, as well as newer areas that have emerged in gambling in recent years, such as the flourishing eSports betting market, which would signify a marked change in the approach that game designers have taken compared to older instalments of the game.
Those who bet on eSports know that this isn’t exactly a new innovation, but in the realm of GTA VI, it would be, and it is just one idea that would constitute a major innovation within the vastness of the GTA VI universe. Although betting on eSports generally covers team games, and those ideas with a more direct one vs one element, if GTA VI were to crack the world of eSports, it could result in billions of dollars of profit.
Embracing The New Dynamic
When GTA V first hit screens, influencers, YouTubers, and social media marketing were still in their formative years and did not have the grip on the gaming industry that they do today. Nowadays, as you can see in the link below, some gaming subdivisions have become multi-billion-dollar industries, creating world championship tournaments and organically bringing together some of the most fervent gaming communities on the planet.
Rockstar will have to explore ways to tap into this vast, growing market and innovate with their mini-game ideas. The casino heist games in GTA V online are a great example of this.
Still, if they want to find a way to ride the wave of eSports relevance, then this could take the form of rampage missions, street car races, or cash prizes for those who can prove their mettle online against others - but with Rockstar keeping their cards so close to their chest, it’s hard to figure out what form, if any, this will take.
Matching Expectations
You could argue that the expectations that are already being placed on the shoulders of the GTA VI design team are the highest there’s ever been in gaming history. The game has already been marred by various delays, trailer hacks, and employee sackings, which have not helped to match these expectations.
Ultimately, this can go one of two ways. It could spur the team on to smash through the difficulties and create a game that ranks alongside many of their other GTA titles as one of the greatest ever made. It is hard to say how it could be more innovative than GTA 3, which, in a gaming sense, essentially went from 2D to 3D. It was remarkable.
That said, though, Rockstar has bridged similar gaps before. Red Dead Redemption 2 is considered one of the greatest games ever made, and a defining moment in 2010s gaming. Grand Theft Auto V is another title considered a seminal title of the 2010s.
The Verdict
Admittedly, the issues with union busting, the leaks of the original trailer, and the release date being pushed back do not bode well for the game.
Once we know more about the ideas the game has in store, then predictions will be more accurate. However, with the game set for release in 2026 and some issues already surfacing, it’s hard to see how GTA VI would garner the same rapturous praise and acclaim, or bring the same innovations that GTA 3 brought to the gaming industry in 2001.
Maybe we’re looking at it through rose-tinted glasses, yearning for simpler gaming days, but GTA VI will dominate the gaming news for most of 2026 - that much is certain.
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