Will Grand Theft Auto VI help or harm the games market in 2025? Discuss.

Rockstar’s juggernaut will affect the entertainment industry on multiple levels — here’s what to expect and why

Millions of gamers are eagerly waiting for the next chapter of GTA to be officially revealed for more than a year. The gaming industry as a whole? Even more so, it seems, for a number of different reasons. (Image: Rockstar)

The second quarter of 2025 is now upon us and it’s fair to say that the first one held precious few surprises when it comes to the gaming market: the Nintendo Switch 2 was announced (but not fully revealed yet), a handful of AAA games — like Monster Hunter Wilds, Split Fiction or Assassin’s Creed Shadows — had successful launches, a few accidental leaks may have given us insight into Microsoft’s future plans for Xbox but… that’s about it, really. More interesting developments are expected over the next few months, though, including the release date of that Game That Shall Not Be Named within the circles of the gaming industry: Grand Theft Auto VI.

There’s a reason why the most eagerly anticipated video game of the 21st century is discussed in hushed voices among executives and managers right now. It’s the same reason why Rockstar’s upcoming title is not yet grabbing as many media headlines as one would expect — and no, the almost unnerving lack of official information is not that reason. It is actually this: the release date of GTA VI will more or less shape the most important part of 2025 in terms of scheduling…