Grand Theft Auto VI Will Have Female Main Character, New Map Focused on Fictionalized Miami

An anonymous reader shares a report: After a public controversy four years ago, Rockstar, the maker of Grand Theft Auto, is reinventing itself as a kinder, gentler company. But employees aren't sure it can still produce the chart-topping caliber of game the studio has become known for. The development of Grand Theft Auto VI has been slower than impatient fans and even longtime employees have expected, despite morale across the company being higher than ever, according to many staffers. Between the company's new direction and the 2019 departure of Dan Houser, who led creative direction on many previous games, all indications suggest Grand Theft Auto VI will feel very different than its predecessor. The game will feature a playable female protagonist for the first time, according to people familiar with the matter. [...] Industry analysts anticipate that the next Grand Theft Auto will be out sometime in Take-Two's 2024 fiscal year, which runs from April 2023 through March 2024, but developers are skeptical. The game has been in development in some form since 2014. Although there are loose schedules in place, people interviewed for this article said they didn't know of any firm release date and that they expect the game to be at least two years away. [...] The game's new map is now focused on a fictional version of Miami and its surrounding areas. Rockstar's plan is to continually update the game over time, adding new missions and cities on a regular basis, which leadership hopes will lead to less crunch during the game's final months.

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