It’s quite the list, and we’re sure that you share our excitement for a majority of them. Without further ado, let’s get started!

1. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

Getting to return to the Caribbean to join Edward Kenway on his epic journey from a callous pirate to a noble Assassin is definitely something we’re very excited about. A revamped combat system, some extra story cutscenes, and those delightful visuals are just icing on the cake. This one comes out on July 9, 2026, for the PS5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC.

2. EA Sports College Football 27

The College Football franchise has been doing quite well for itself in recent years, and we don’t see why this year should be any different. We already know it’s bringing quite the roster for us to enjoy, with some very attractive goodies for those who pre-order any of its editions. Once again, it releases on July 9, 026, for the PS5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC.

3. Palworld 1.0 Release

We were blown away by the cinematic trailer that this one dropped recently, and it showcases stunning new locations with fascinating creatures for us to collect over the course of our adventure. It’s touted to be the game’s biggest update yet, and is sure to bring a lot of exciting new additions to the table as it brings us to the story’s finale when it drops on July 10, 2026, for all available platforms.

4. Splatoon Raiders

Getting to join a pirate musician group that’s raiding the Spirhalite Islands for treasure? Sign us up! Yesterday’s Direct showcase gave us quite a good look at this one, and it only made us all the more excited to try out its paint-based weapons, great progression systems, and of course, the Exploration Bot. Talk about the efficient use of tech. It’s slated for a June 30 release on the Switch 2.

5. Halo: Campaign Evolved

We’re still not over that awesome trailer that showed off the new Covenant faction, some very interesting footage from the new prequel missions, and of course, the return of Master Chief. The new weapons are equally intriguing, and we can’t wait to dive in and get blasting when this one releases for the XBOX Series X|S, PC, and PS5 on July 28 this year.

6. Beast of Reincarnation

Any journey that gives you a furry friend for company is definitely worth undertaking, in our book. When you combine that with some parry-focused Soulslike action and a very cool set of powers for Emma, the game’s protagonist, you get the recipe for a game that’s sure to have us grinding our teeth in frustration but determined to end whatever the Hush throws at us. It’s slated to release on August 4 for the PS5, PC, and XBOX Series X|S.

7. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls

With a starting roster that brings some of Marvel’s best to the table for an action-packed gameplay loop, this one is definitely going to keep us occupied for quite a while. We’re particularly interested in the Episode Mode, where you participate against the enigmatic Champion in a Tournament where you’re surely going to have to bring your best skills to the table. Look our for this one on August 6 on your PC or PS5.

8. Mafia: The Old Country – Man of Honour

An expansion that doubles up on the nostalgia factor that put this one on the map in the first place is certainly welcome. It’s even better when it gives us a look at Don Salieri’s early days before his time in America that set the entire franchise in motion. The trailer was pretty interesting despite being a little to stingy with details, but it did tell us that this one’s releasing on August 14, 2026, on all available platforms.

9. The Sinking City 2

Lovecraftian adventures are always a great combination of thrills and chills, and the Slither is looking like a foe you don’t want to tangle with unless you’re Calvin Rafferty. Of course, the Deep Ones and Shadows are equally credible threats, and we’re quite curious to see how this one has us dealing with them when it comes out on August 18 for the PS5, PC, and XBOX Series X|S. There’s even a playable demo on Steam if you want to try it before buying it.

10. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam

We were pretty bummed about this one getting delayed to August 13 but do appreciate Team 17 taking player feedback and the results from its own playtests seriously enough to ask for more time to further polish this one before releasing it for all of us. We’re hoping it builds on everything that was good about its predecessor while adding interesting new twists to the table.

11. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2

If you’ve been with us for a while, you probably already guessed that this one is definitely something we’re eager to dive into. The chance to revisit two titles that cemented our love for the franchise is very welcome, and Solid Snake’s final chapter is the one that has us as excited as we are. Of course, Peace Walker is also something we’re eager to play again, and it’s going to be a difficult choice between them then this one drops on August 27 this year for the PS5, PC, XBOX Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and the Switch 2.

12. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy

Sophie was among the more interesting characters in Requiem, and her role in Amicia and Hugo’s adventure in that one presented her as a complex and nuanced character. It’s only logical, then, that a look into her early days as a headstrong young smuggler exploring Minotaur Island has us itching to get started with it already. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait too long until this one drops on August 27, 2026, for the PC, PS5, and XBOX Series.

13. Star Wars Zero Company

A ragtag group of mercenaries that include a Jedi, a noble, a droid, and a former Separatist embarking on an adventure set during the Clone Wars is music to the ears of any Star Wars fan, and we’re no exception. The addition of Anakin Skywalker before his turn to the Dark Side is another interesting twist that makes this one a very compelling addition to this list. It’s out on August 27 this year for the PC, PS5, and XBOX Series X|S.

14. Elden Ring Tarnished Edition

The wait for this one has been a long one, but it’s finally coming out on August 28 this year on all available platforms and the Nintendo Switch 2. There’s new weapons, armor, and a very welcome option to customize Torrent being added to the base game and its DLC, and it’s as good a reason as any for us to begin a new playthrough in the run-up to its release. We’re pretty excited, even if that means taking on the Blade of Miquella yet again.

15. EA Sports Madden NFL 27

We were already looking forward to this one before EA highlighted how the Persona Engine is gearing up to make each athlete feel quite unique when they step onto the pitch, aside from the Superstar GOAT progression path giving us a reason to keep coming back to it for more. And that’s only the beginning of all the cool stuff this one’s bringing to the franchise when it releases on August 13, 2026, for the PC, PS5, and XBOX Series X|S.

16. The Blood of Dawnwalker

We’ve been very eager to play this one ever since it was first announced, and the wait for its September 3 release has been tantalizing at best, and agonizing every time we’ve got a new glimpse of its gameplay. Of course, the latest trailer has only exacerbated those feelings as we got to see Coen and Brencis’s fight transcend the passage of time, just as vampires should, making this one a game we’re going to be diving head-first into as soon as we get the chance.

17. Valheim 1.0 Release

The Deep North update and the end of this one’s Early Access period as it makes its PS5 and Switch 2 debut has us very interested in learning what new additions it’s bringing to the table in a survival crafting gameplay loop that’s also a great take on norse mythology. The snowy weather isn’t the only thing to look forward to, as there are going to be new enemies, places, and faces to engage with when it drops on September 9, 2026.

18. Marvel’s Wolverine

Boy, oh boy, was that look that we got into this one at the recent State of Play a good one. Insomniac made a lot of good choices in its take on Logan, and the inclusion of Jean Grey and some very high stakes for the cast make this one a very engaging title indeed. Wolverine looks like a fresh take on a very familiar character, and the mechanics look like they weave his unique powers into the gameplay loop quite well. It’s out on September 15, 2026, and is exclusive to the PS5.

19.Trials In The Sky Second Chapter

We’ve known that this one is coming for a while, and although a concrete release date is yet to be announced, it’s probably going to be out in late September. Its predecessor ended on quite the cliffhanger and it’s quite a tempting title to consider even in the midst of a very crowded release calendar thanks to one of the big names on our list. We’re definitely keeping an eye out for this one.

20. Trine 6: Together in Time

This puzzle platformer brings a vibrant color palette to a world that’s full of mysteries waiting to be explored, and a charming cast aimed at being memorable by virtue of their unique abilities and the synergies they build based off of them.You get to play it with upto three of your buddies, with a bunch of common abilities and a combat system that lets you make the most of them all thrown in. It’s releasing for the PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2 and XBOX Series X|S on 17 September, 2026.

21. Control Resonant

How did Remedy choose to build on what made the predecessor to this one great? Well, it’s opened up the doors of the FBC and let its protagonist loose in a version of Manhattan that’s been warped beyond recognition. There are enemy designs that range from bizarre to surreal, while the combat takes a more hands-on approach this time around. This one’s out on September 24 for the PC, PS5, and XBOX Series X|S,

22. Hot Wheels Infinite Rush

Based on Mattel’s popular line of collectibles, this one is an open-world arcade racer that ditches photorealism in favor of a more amusing take on Hot Wheels, allowing it to bring its own version of the track sets we’ve always wanted to build to life. It also brings full cross-play compatibility to the table, allowing you to set up evenings of racing that could have you very entertained indeed. It’s coming to the PS5, PC, XBOX Series, and the Switch 2 on September 24, 2026.

23. Silent Hill: Townfall

Simon Ordell’s time in St. Amelia is vastly different from Hinako’s adventure in Silent Hill f, but that doesn’t make it any less unsettling in the limited glimpses we’ve got of this one. It has all the staples of the franchise, such as nasty monsters and an intense, moody setting, coupled with new additions that make this one a game to look forward to if you’ve got nerves of steel. It’s coming out for the PS5 and PC on September 24.

24. Valor Mortis

The chance to play as an undead soldier in a story set during the Napoleonic Wars is definitely something that made us sit up and pay attention, and everything we’ve seen of this one so far points to an experience that’s sure to test our skills and our patience in this first-person Soulslike. Once again, this one’s hitting the shelves on September 24 for the PC and PS5.

25. Onimusha: Way of the Sword

Miyamoto Musashi is back, and he’s bringing the Oni Gauntlet back in all its glory in a title that’s as brutal as they come on the gameplay front. The fight against Shuten-dōji in the recently released trailer was reason enough for us to be interested in this one, but the playable demo now has us itching to get into it in earnest. We’re going to have to wait until September 25 for that chance, though, and it’s coming to the PS5, PC, and XBOX Series X|S.

26. Minecraft Dungeons II

A new evil, two new worlds, and the chance of a closer look at The Nether are all factors that contribute to our enthusiasm for this one. There’s also the new combat that was shown off in a recent trailer to look forward to, alongside the potential for some very cool DLC being added to it after its September 29 release for both iterations of the Switch, PS5, PC, and XBOX Series X|S.

27. Phantom Blade Zero

We’ve got high hopes for this one, and a lot of confidence that it isn’t going to disappoint when it comes out on October 29 after a delay that’s using the extra time for some polishing. It’s combat and traversal mechanics all point to a title that’s slick, fast, and challenging, all of which are very attractive features for any game to have. The premise is equally engaging, and we can’t wait to dive into this one when it comes out for the PS5 and PC.

28. Rayman Legends Retold

It’s always great to see Rayman again, and this time around, the classic character is coming back to the spotlight in style. There’s a fully-3D art style that brings a colorful world to life with aplomb, while the story might be familiar to those of you who’ve played through Rayman Legends. This platformer is definitely worth looking out for, and is coming out October 1, 2026, for the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

29. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve

Taking to the skies in fighter jets is always going to be an exhilarating experience, and the addition of superweapons and the ability to send enemy fighters crashing into one another are all facets that add to the allure of this game. It’s out on October 2 for the PS5, PC, and XBOX Series X|S and there’s an attractive bunch of content for those of you who pre-order it.

30. Gears of War: E-Day

This one’s been a long time coming and we can’t wait to rejoin Marcus Fenix on an adventure that’s going to take us back to the beginning of the war between mankind and The Locusts. Despite the lack of a PS5 version on its October 6 launch date, you’re still going to get to play it on XBOX and PC. It’s also going to be on Game Pass from day one, so there’s that. It’s as action-packed as you’d expect, going by the trailer from the XBOX Games Showcase.

31. Star Wars: Galactic Racer

Pod racing in a galaxy far, far, away sounds like the perfect way to unwind after a long day, doesn’t it? We doubt we’re going to be doing a lot of relaxing after seeing this one in action at the 2026 edition of Summer Game Fest, though. It comes with a lot of tension both on and off the tracks as you race to become the new champion of the Galactic Racing League. This one’s ready to go on October 6 for the PS5, PC, and XBOX Series X|S.

32. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse

This 2D side-scrolling Metroidvania puts the Belmont family whip in the hands of a nimble new protagonist who must use it to take on Dracula’s forces in Paris, hitting them where it hurts while getting more powerful in the process. Trailers indicate that exploration is a crucial part of it, along with the potential integration of RPG mechanics into its progression loop. It’s coming to the PS5, PC, XBOX Series X|S, and Switch 2 on October 15, 2026.

33. Grand Theft Auto 6

This one’s certainly one that we’ve all been waiting for with patience (and a fair bit of impatience after last year’s delay), and is sure to take over the discourse around gaming when it arrives. It’s been imposing enough that other developers have done their best to give it a wide berth with some interesting effects on the year’s release calendar that you might have already noticed, even on this list. It’s out on November 19 for the PS5 and XBOX Series X|S, with no news of a PC release at the time of writing.

34. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake

One of the Zelda franchise’s heavy hitters getting a remake is obviously good news. However, Nintendo has been quite cryptic when it comes to details about its gameplay and potential improvements to the Ocarina of Time remake, and there’s no official release date at this time other than a rumored November-December release window. It’s exclusive to the Switch and Switch 2.

35. The Duskbloods

FromSoft has been rather quiet since Nightreign came out, and that’s because it has been hard at work on this PvEvP Switch 2 exclusive that lets you take control of the Bloodsworn, fierce warriors who are competing against each other for possession of the First Blood, although they might find themselves working together when the situation demands it. There are over 12 unique characters to engage with, although we’re yet to get an official release date on it.

And that’s about it for this one. It’s quite a crowded calendar for the second half of the year, but we’re sure a lot of you share our excitement for all the great titles that it’s set to bring. More games, more memories, and more fun is how we’re choosing to look at it.

Yeah, GTA 6 is absolutely going to dominate the discourse around gaming once it drops, and rightly so. It’s a follow-up to a title that continues to be among the best open worlds out there, and one that gave us so much freedom to roleplay to our heart’s content. Everything you got to do in that one ended up with scenes that boasted of bombast and spectacle. I don’t see why GTA 6 should be any different, given that you’re playing ex-cons in an adventure that’s sure to have more than a few set pieces.

I expect a lot of moments that players are going to be talking about with awe that’s well-deserved. But that only makes me certain that Pywel is going to enjoy a quieter sort of appreciation. That’s not to say it’s devoid of spectacle, not in the slightest. I did just tear through an army of enemy troops, dual swords flashing with an otherworldly power that they were ill-equipped to handle. But I also spent time in a cave, trying to figure out a complex piece of machinery in an effort to get a reward. How did I end up there after my epic battle? I couldn’t tell you if I tried.

The point is, there are games that are built to earn the spotlight. That’s going to be GTA 6. Conversely, there are games that simply stay just behind the curtain, quietly beckoning you to return to their worlds with the fond memories they’ve given you, and the personal stories they allow you to craft for yourself. Crimson Desert’s one of those titles. It’s a title that’s going to win your memory even as GTA 6 wins the conversation.

Let’s dive into why.

Events Versus Experiences

The biggest names in modern gaming are often remembered as either launches that have been preceded by a lot of hype or as experiences that have delivered very highly on the moment-to-moment gameplay loop. Rockstar has built up enough hype around GTA 6 for its launch, and the subsequent slew of content around it, to fall firmly in the first category. That isn’t to say that I’m not expecting the game to have me completely enthralled with its offerings, but the way I see it, those conversations are going to be based on shared experiences. They would focus on events.

But in Pywel, things are a tad more chaotic. I’m still learning new things from Crimson Desert’s vocal community of Greymanes, each of whom has discovered fresh ways to achieve specific goals that just sailed past me since my time with the game has taken me in an entirely different direction. I powered down my console last night after a thrilling time chasing down armor pieces for a set that would let Kliff look like a samurai, a search that led me to a place where crows constantly attacked me, intent on impeding my progress through the region.

I misjudged a jump, plummeting downwards, only to find a puzzle that had me scouring the surrounding areas for three symbols that I would then have to use in a solution. Only, I forgot where the puzzle was in the first place. That new search put me in the path of a boss that took multiple tries and a lot of skilful parrying to defeat. Every moment you spend in Pywel could lead to new experiences, which become the sort of thing that makes each session of play a sort of smaller story within its sprawling boundaries. Allow me to elaborate further.

And that starts with how I spent my weekend in Pywel.

Predictably Unpredictable

For starters, I spent hours flitting between various cities and settlements, feeding stray cats to earn their trust before I brought them back to my Greymane camp. I now have a whole bunch of furry friends, and I stop to pet them all every time I visit my fellow brothers-in-arms. It was a lot of work, to be sure, but I did enjoy the quiet rhythm of that particular activity.

I then went on a search for a legendary horse, as my take on Kliff wouldn’t want to show up on a common beast. I made my way to the Steel Mountains, where a group of goblins was annoying enough to distract me from my search. I took them down, the last one falling in front of a gigantic tower that had me forgetting about a new horse. After I figured out that all I needed to do to get inside was to place a few stones around the front door, I soon ended up in Pywel’s alternate world, wracking my brains on a puzzle that had me at my wits’ end, forcing me to look up a solution that was staring me in the face all along.

Of course, the warrior in me was itching to blow off some steam, and I soon came across a bunch of bandits who were waylaying an innocent man. I summarily dispatched them, giving their victim a ride to the nearest village, where I discovered rumors of a whole fort being taken over by those darn villains. Of course, I then went in alone, bringing them down with a ferocity that even GTA 5’s Trevor would admire. All of this was in the space of six hours, with one coffee break to process it all. And there were four more sessions like that over two days. I’ll leave the math of all that could have happened to you.

Crimson Desert’s one of those rare games that gives you all the freedom to explore its world that you could desire, and then immediately has you encountering a form of friction that stems from its mechanics, traversal, or puzzles that comes between you and a discovery that you’re itching to learn more of. It allows things to get messy and trusts you to come up with ways to resolve your predicament on your own terms. You don’t just witness things in Pywel, but live through them and survive them in a way that makes the whole thing feel all the more relatable.

Of course, things weren’t all perfect. I can’t remember how many times I wished the developers would address the annoying double jump issue in their next batch of updates. I spent hours trying to track down an item I needed to progress a quest, endlessly scouring through my inventory and private storage until a friendly Greymane on Reddit suggested I speak to the one who managed my camp’s provisions and trade goods. That friction can get annoying from time to time, but it’s also a part of Crimson Desert’s charm.

Flaws in any game are never good. But in some cases, they stem from nuance and engineered resistance that are meant to make you stop and adapt to what the game throws at you. More often than not, those are the games that tend to be more vividly remembered than their more polished counterparts. The memories you have of them aren’t just about their story or some massive twist, but from the unexpected adventures you have in their worlds.

Snap Back To Reality

I’m under no illusions that GTA 6 is going to be a more polished release that will absolutely dominate both critical and commercial benchmarks, and manage to have the entire gaming community talking about the many things it will bring to the table. It’s a Rockstar blockbuster release, after all. But it’s that very nature that makes it a very different offering from Crimson Desert.

It’s a game that’s meant to gather momentum right off the bat, and sustain that momentum so its players don’t feel like they’re bogged down by its mechanics or systems at any point. It’s designed to encourage a different kind of freedom, one that makes its players feel empowered to do as they please in its open world while encountering the least amount of resistance as the game can manage.

That would mean that it could redefine what production values could mean for modern gaming, but it leaves little to no room for the sort of unpredictability that’s baked into Crimson Desert’s very design. It’s a title that’s meant to have all of its players discussing its best set pieces across the board, its sheer scale overwhelming them into awe. But can it leave fingerprints on their memory the way that Crimson Desert does? I hope so, as I’m hoping to be served a slice of humble pie later this year on that front.

Make no mistake, I think GTA 6 is going to be talked about and remembered for years to come. But it would be because everybody experienced the same highlights, and came away with experiences that might seem varied on the surface, but are largely similar, owing to it being a game that needs to balance player freedom versus accessibility considering how big of a release it really is.

But Crimson Desert’s a game that’s free of such restraints, and it leans into that freedom with unrestrained abandon. It’s a title that has each of its players coming away from it with different stories, and the only common talking point to connect them all is the fact that you’d have to be there to experience it the exact same way. It’s a game that I’d certainly revisit in conversations, not to simply remember a mission but to tell a fellow Greymane about my own adventures on the way there.

The spotlight’s going to move away from Pywel later this year, and I’m definitely grabbing a front-row seat to GTA 6’s unique brand of chaotic open-world fun. Its much-awaited launch could be an era-defining event, one that’s talked about many years from now. But I know that I’m never going to forget how Crimson Desert has made me feel, and the highs and lows that engaging with its vast world brings to the table.

It’s a game that doesn’t aim to be memorable, but manages to leave you with enough fond memories to remain unforgettable. And on that note, I’m off to make more of those memories before I move on to other titles and other worlds.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

With GTA 6 quite a long while away from its final release, I began to wonder if Crimson Desert could allow me to muster a bit of patience, leading me to think about how very different titles have more in common than you’d think. For starters, they feature multiple playable characters in a seamless open world that has a lot to do and discover in it.

Their stories are meant to be engrossing while their worlds are meant to be distracting, pulling you in a different direction than the one you intended to take when you settle down for some playtime. It’s a design philosophy that we’ve seen quite often over the years, with GTA 5 being quite a good showcase of how that formula works.

It’s quite simple, really. Just give players a massive world to explore, and all the agency they need to craft their own journey to the narrative’s climax, making fond memories along the way. It’s worked very well before, and with Crimson Desert all set for a March 2026 release, I believe that Pywell is quite an acceptable destination to live out my RPG fantasies while I wait for GTA 6 to drop after years of waiting for it.

Perhaps you’re not convinced? That’s all right. Allow me to take you through why I believe Crimson Desert is going to be a balm for my impatience in what is now the final leg of a long wait for Rockstar’s upcoming blockbuster release.

The Size and Scope of Pywell

Everything I’ve seen of Crimson Desert so far, recent showcases included, points to Pywell being an absolutely ginormous map. With five distinct regions, each with its own underlying theme and residents that reflect those themes, I can already see myself spending hours losing myself in its biomes, hunting down objective after objective while Klyff’s narrative adventure takes a backseat.

That’s already an open world that wins in my book, and the sheer amount of cool things to do in Pywell already has me cracking my knuckles in preparation for some very long gaming sessions next month. The traversal mechanics look sublime, and getting to ride a horse, glide on your own wings (sort of), or hop onto a massive dragon to soar across the lands gives me the impression that they’re all there to ensure that we’re less likely to miss out on all that this mysterious land has to offer.

It takes me back to GTA 5 and the way in which we always had a vehicle at our disposal, and could choose to obtain one based on the situation at hand. Need a quick way to weave between vehicles on the road? Get your hands on a motorcycle. Need to take to the skies for a mission? You could get your hands on a plane, no problems. I don’t see why GTA 6 could be any different, and that’s the first intersection I could think of when it came to comparing it with Crimson Desert.

In both titles, traversing the massive world you’re let loose in isn’t a matter of spectacle, or the need to add something in just because it’s cool. They’re effective tools to convey scale, and ways to give players a means of transport that would suit their tastes, or perhaps their needs in any given situation. They’re also a way to encourage exploring the world without a plan, letting the thrill of discovery become its own reward aside from useful items and loot that could enhance your character’s abilities.

But a massive world can feel very empty if there wasn’t a lot of meaningful stuff to do in it. Klyff is going to be stretched thin during his time in Pywell if the showcases are any indication. There are Greymanes to track down, old comrades to assist, areas to liberate, rival factions to contend with, activities like fishing and the like, old ruins to explore, and the Abyss and its mysteries to uncover.

Once again, GTA 6 is poised to take a similar approach, letting its players loose in a world where they can choose to do anything they decide to do. Like GTA 5, I’m almost certain that the city we’re set to explore comes with so much to do it can be hard to believe that a duo (or a trio, perhaps?) of characters are capable of tackling it all.

When seen through that lens, it’s easy to see how Pywell can be a suitable placebo for the impatient explorer in me who simply can’t wait to see what shenanigans Lucia and Jason get up to in Leonida. And that brings me to another area of similarity between GTA and Crimson Desert: the inclusion of multiple playable characters.

Experiencing the Greymane Saga

The reveal that Klyff was not the only Greymane I would be playing as in Crimson Desert had me over the moon. I love open worlds that have different people exploring them, the potential for variety and crafting varying builds being a huge draw for me.

GTA 5’s trio of protagonists were so distinct from each other, their personalities often clashing over the course of the story, while switching between them was quite seamless and also fun as you never knew where your character was going to be when you made the switch. Although that title’s combat left little room for variation thanks to the franchise’s more grounded setting, I liked that I could get creative with their loadouts and inject a bit of variance into my experience.

It worked simply because characters were not just different skins of one main protagonist. Crimson Desert might fall flat if its playable characters are too similar to Klyff but that isn’t the case. His companions are already showing off their own unique ways to get across Pywell while their combat abilities seem distinct enough to make them stand out from Klyff quite significantly.

I’m expecting that while their traversal animations might be different, the principles are going to be the same. However, I do think that their combat potential and areas that can only be explored by one or the other are going to be a part of the experience, making them feel distinct and perhaps even making me care about their stories too.

I’m hopeful that the game’s enemy and boss designs reflect their unique skill sets, making a few of them easier to tackle if you choose to take them on as a character other than Klyff. Although the developer has asserted that the main story is going to revolve around Klyff for the most part, I’m still excited to see if the three-pronged approach to its protagonist is going to be handled as well as it was in GTA 5.

GTA 6 already has two playable characters, and is likely going to let you switch between them at will as it wouldn’t make sense not to. It’s another thing that it shares in common with Crimson Desert, and is a factor that’s going to be a part of me enjoying another important facet of both experiences: the combat.

A Fight for Survival

We know that Jason and Lucia are going to have their backs to the wall in GTA 6, which obviously leads to a lot of sticky situations where diplomacy might not be enough to save their hides. But can GTA’s more grounded take on combat involving guns find common ground with Crimson Desert’s fantasy trappings? Yes, as it turns out.

Klyff might not rely on guns and grenade launchers for the most part, although the mech that was showcased recently has me wondering if Pywell is more technologically advanced than it’s letting on. We also know that building Klyff’s arsenal and skill set is going to be a journey on its own, with the freedom to mix and match your abilities to suit your own playstyle.

The two games might be wildly different in the tools you’re given to deal with your opposition, but the underlying principle is a common factor. They’re about starting from scratch and building your characters in a way that makes sense to you. That’s always a joy to behold in games that get it right and Crimson Desert looks like it’s giving you all the tools you need and more to make the most of its combat system.

It’s a great way to scratch the RPG itch that’s already beginning to set in as the days go slowly by until it’s finally time to travel to Leonida in November.

Different Games, Similar Aims

On paper, Crimson Desert and GTA 6 look like wildly different titles among the best of what 2026 has to offer. But look beyond their thematic influences and you see design philosophies that aim to present a very specific type of experience.

While I’m cautiously optimistic about Crimson Desert, I do think it’s a viable stop-gap solution for fans who can’t wait for GTA 6. It might even stand out as a fantasy-themed take on Rockstar’s own gameplay loop if the developer has indeed cooked as well as it seems to have done.

They’re both games that are going to have us pouring hours into them once we set foot into their worlds, after all. I’m excited for both of them, and I can’t wait to take on whatever Pywell has to offer over the course of this year. But for now, I must be content with patiently crossing the days off my calendar until I can join Klyff’s effort to rebuild the Greymanes.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

With that being said, there’s always a lesson or two to be learned from adversity, and it’s always good to take a look at where things went wrong and how they can be improved. To that end, we’ve put together a list of events in the gaming world that garnered quite a response from the gaming community, and not in a good way. Let’s dive right in!

1. GTA 6 Delayed To November 2026

We’re sure you saw this one coming and thought it best to get it out of the way early. It’s always a bummer when a highly anticipated title faces a delay, and that becomes a lot worse to bear when that title has been a very long time in the making.

While we’re not going to hold a grudge against Rockstar for this one, as we suspect that the delay is only going to make the final game even better, it still rankles to know that there’s still such a long way to go before we get to dive into what we’re sure is a banger from the studio.

2. Microsoft’s Xbox Hardware Price Hikes

The Xbox hasn’t had a great run in the last few years, and Microsoft certainly didn’t help its case when it hiked the prices on Xbox consoles and a few games in May of last year. While we’re not going to get into the politics that are rumored to be behind the decision, it certainly wasn’t great news for Xbox fans in the market for a new console, with the flagship Series X’s prices going up by around 22% – a significant increase on a console whose popularity has been gradually eroding away.

However, Microsoft might not be entirely to blame for the situation; it was a choice that still didn’t sit well with many, never mind the fact that the PlayStation also saw its prices increase as a response.

3. Price Hikes On PlayStation Hardware In Some Regions

In Europe, the UK, and Australia, Sony hiked prices on the PS5 Digital Edition by around 10%, the reason given being economic turmoil around the world. It’s probably not as bad as the hike on Xbox consoles but is still quite an increase on an already pricey machine despite the excellence it brings to the table.
We’re just glad that the PS5 Pro remained unscathed through it all, and Sony probably deserves a bit of praise for managing to keep things under control for the most part.

4. Game Pass Price Increase

It wasn’t just consoles that saw unpopular price hikes, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate becoming dearer by quite a significant margin, prompting backlash from existing and potential subscribers. Despite Microsoft issuing a statement saying that such occurrences were “never fun for anybody”, it didn’t help with stopping a string of cancellations as frustrated gamers decided to speak up against the price hikes with their wallets.

We’re just glad we didn’t have to deal with the consequences of the decision, as things certainly got nasty.

5. Sony’s PS Plus Pricing Hike

Sony’s PS Plus wasn’t safe from global economic conditions either, and the service saw price hikes in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Once again, Sony must be commended for restricting the fallout of turbulence in global supply chains, but the price hikes were still quite unpopular among gamers.

It’s interesting to see how Sony managed to keep things in control in comparison with Microsoft, but the price hikes did raise concerns about the value of gaming on consoles versus the same costs on a PC. That’s an interesting facet of this equation that does merit close observation over the next couple of years, and the Steam Machine’s debut might be quite a twist in this tale.

6. AI In Video Games

Generative AI made things quite complicated for a few studios in 2025, with many players and critics calling out its use in video games as a step in the wrong direction. A great example would be ARC Raiders, where lines of NPC dialogue being handled by AI received quite a bit of backlash and review bombing on what was an otherwise solid game. And we suppose there’s no need to mention the controversy surrounding The Alters, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Fortnite.

7. Call of Duty Black Ops 7

While disappointment with the annual Call of Duty franchise has become something of a recurring tradition, it wasn’t really surprising to see Black Ops 7 fall as flatly as it did. The story, gameplay, and overall presentation failed to gain the momentum needed to stop the franchise’s slump, and the game has been among our worst shooters of 2025 thanks to the likes of ARC Raiders.

Some might be holding out hope that the franchise can turn things around with subsequent instalments though, but that’s looking pretty unlikely now.

8. Mario Kart World’s Hefty Price Tag

Mario Kart World was certainly incredible, and a great title to show off what the Switch 2 could do. But its pricing left a bitter taste in the mouth of those who bought it, and perhaps even put off some players who might have otherwise chosen to dive in.

While an $80 price tag on an excellent game might be palatable to people who want quality, it did raise concerns about a new pricing standard that could isolate quite a few gamers whose budgets might not allow them to pick up great games consistently.

9. Industry Wide Layoffs

There’s a long list of studios that have been shut down, and teams that have faced layoffs over a variety of factors. Studios like Monolith, whose Nemesis System is now probably locked away in a vault somewhere, are great examples of talented teams who were unfortunately let go thanks to a variety of factors.

2025 also saw layoffs across Electronic Arts, Supermassive Games, People Can Fly, Amazon Games, and several others, with thousands of developers ultimately losing their jobs. Here’s hoping that all of the talented folks who were affected it managed to land on their feet.

10. MindsEye

Boy, was this one an annoyance. We went into MindsEye expecting great things from Build A Rocket Boy but were left with a bitter taste in our mouth after its lifeless world, lackluster story, and uninspired combat. This was a game that should have been so much more, and was perhaps the most egregious fail that 2025 brought to the gaming world.

The studio’s response to the criticism aimed at their debut title was also quite lacking, showcasing a poor attitude that did it no favors, and perhaps can act as a lesson to other studios whose offerings fail to get off the ground at the outset.

11. Monster Hunter Wilds PC

This one’s another instance of a disappointing end to a very long wait. With Worlds being as good as it was, Wilds should have been a sequel that took the popular franchise from the developer to new heights. And while the game did manage to put up a good show on consoles, its PC performance left players quite irate with the studio thanks to its poor optimization.

Frame rate issues, poor VRAM optimization, crashes, stutters, and so many more problems ruined what should have been an incredible time hunting monsters in visually stunning environments. This one’s a classic example of a game that should have been more popular right off the bat but was let down thanks to its problems. We’re happy it managed to get back on track though, somewhat.

12. Where Winds Meet’s UI Issues

If you’ve been with us for a while, you already know that Where Winds Meet has been quite a surprise for all of us who got to play it. However, its UI is one area that could certainly use some polish. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that it’s so confusing it runs the risk of making its players miss important parts of its gameplay loop, and needs to do better and communicate all of the myriad systems it contains.

This isn’t a game-breaking problem but it does need to be addressed nonetheless considering the amazing quality of everything else on offer in the experience.

13. Valorant’s Text Verification

Valorant might be among the best esports shooters out there, but that might have worked against the game in this particular instance. With Riot Games aiming to minimize cheating within the game and requiring users to use multi-factor-authentication to be able to play the game, it was obvious that there was going to be a bit of backlash.

With accounts being tied to specific mobile numbers and stringent checks against shady practices, players with multiple accounts who actually played the game without resorting to malpractices were forced to adhere to the new rules. Although necessary, it could still be seen as uncomfortable. We’re all human, after all.

14. Lacking Features At Launch

Several titles released with content that wasn’t available at launch, causing dissatisfaction among players thanks to how crucial they were to their overall enjoyment of the game in question. Borderlands 4’s excellent visuals might have tempted many of its players to take a break and grab some awesome shots of its world, but the lack of a Photo Mode at launch made that an area of frustration.

Ghost of Yotei should have had a New Game+ mode from the very start but that wasn’t the case. Its distinct lack of enemies out in its open world after you finished its story should have been a reason to have the option to get right back into the action but at least it’s there now for those who want it. Several other titles had notable omissions that had us scratching our heads at why they weren’t in the game in the first place.

15. Cancelled Projects

Sony pulled the plug on Bend Studio and Bluepoint Studio’s live-service projects in its pivot towards more profitable (and probably safer) ventures, while Microsoft also cancelled Everwild and Perfect Dark, both of which seemed like solid additions to their respective lineups of titles.

It’s always disappointing to see games with potential be denied the chance to show what they have but it is what it is.

And that’s a wrap on some of 2025’s failures that had gamers shaking their heads at dismal decisions and poor execution of great ideas. Here’s to hoping that 2026 manages to make lists like these a lot shorter!

And now that Grand Theft Auto 6 is actually something that is tangible and at least somewhat within touching distance (or in its vicinity, if nothing else), excitement surrounding its release is hitting highs that we had never seen before for games. And yes, we have obviously had some very clear and obvious proof of that of late. Not long after announcing an unsurprising delay for the open world crime epic from a previously announced Fall 2025 release window to a new launch date of May 26 of next year, Rockstar Games released a new gameplay trailer for GTA 6, which, as the company announced shortly afterward, went on to attract a whopping 475 million plus views across all platforms within a single day, making it a record breaking biggest video launch ever to date, taking the top spot from Deadpool and Wolverine’s debut trailer and putting it at a distant second by quite some ease.

As if all of that hype weren’t enough, Rockstar and parent company Take-Two Interactive are continuing to talk up GTA 6 and what it is aiming for with the kind of confidence that you would frankly expect from a company that has delivered the likes of Grand Theft Auto 5, Grand Theft Auto 4, Red Dead Redemption 2, and many others. Just recently, for instance, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said in an interview with CNBC while discussing the recently announced delay for Grand Theft Auto 6 that given Rockstar’s lofty ambitions for the open world title, the delay was a decision that made sense.

“The key thing is that Rockstar Games is trying to create the best thing anyone’s ever seen in entertainment, not just interactive entertainment,” Zelnick said. “That’s a tall order, and I think consumers have huge hopes for the title.

“But the delay itself is really a reflection of desire to polish and create the best possible experience for consumers, and we as a company have been known not to have a sort of slavish devotion to release dates but rather to seek the highest quality entertainment.”

That is, of course, a tall order- to say the very least. “The best thing anyone has ever seen in entertainment” isn’t really a standard that you would really ever reasonably hold anything to, but at the same time, it’s also not surprising that the company behind industry-defining and genre-creating masterpieces such as Grand Theft Auto are holding themselves to that standard, at least as far as their public-facing comments are concerned. Sure, that might not be something that many might believe any game – even a new mainline Grand Theft Auto release – could be described as, barring some very rare exceptions, but Rockstar seems like one of chosen few companies out there that could get away with making that a marketing beat for one of their upcoming flagship releases because very few companies over the medium’s history that have managed to have that kind of an impact with their releases.

So the question is, could Grand Theft Auto 6 be that kind of an industry-defining release? As ever, the easiest way to answer that question is to look at the developer in question’s past releases, and make educated guesses based on that. And Rockstar’s track record is, of course, second to none, to the extent that it almost doesn’t even need any briefing. The Grand Theft Auto franchise has never had anything resembling a slip up with its mainline releases, with the likes of Grand Theft Auto 3, 4, 5, Vice City, and San Andreas all having seen widespread and unprecedented success the likes of which you don’t see too often from most other video games. Grand Theft Auto 5’s commercial success in particular continues to be jaw-dropping for even the most hardcore gaming enthusiasts to this day- there’s just no getting used to that sort of commercial longevity for a paid console game.

Outside of GTA, meanwhile, Rockstar has seen similar critical and commercial acclaim with the Red Dead Redemption games. Owing to its period setting, the Wild West franchise obviously hasn’t seen the sort of universal success that something as accessible as Grand Theft Auto obviously enjoys, but Red Dead Redemption is still among the biggest and most successful gaming franchises out there, with both titles so far having been widely regarded as some of the best games ever made, on top of having enjoyed incredible sales figures.

Across Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, time and again, Rockstar has set standards for the genre and the medium as a whole in a way that no other game developer has been able to do, at least on a consistent basis. Outside of those two juggernauts, the company has still managed to win over fans with other games like Bully, Midnight Club, Max Payne 3, and others, each of which has only added to Rockstar Games’ well-earned reputation as one of the best and most prestigious game developers around. All of that is to say, of course, that if there is one company that can have any hopes of being able to deliver the “best thing that anyone has ever seen in entertainment,” the way Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick puts it, as ridiculously high as those ambitions might be, it would have to be Rockstar Games.

That would also be why a delay for Grand Theft Auto 6 ultimately seems not awfully difficult to take (although most definitely there will be some who will vehemently disagree with that sentiment). For many, a delay for GTA 6 was nothing short of an inevitability at any rate, so when Rockstar said that the game would be slipping past its Fall window and instead target a May 2026 release, the announcement didn’t come as a huge shock.

But even beyond its expected nature, the delay announcement was perhaps a relatively easy pill to swallow because of the implicit expectation that Rockstar is going to put the added development time to good use and deliver a product that is likely going to be worth the wait. Of course, there isn’t much that you can take for granted in the games industry, especially when the game in question that you have been waiting for is more than a decade in the making, but based on all that we have seen of Grand Theft Auto 6 so far, it does seem like it’s going to be exactly the spectacular return to Vice City that fans of Rockstar’s open world crime franchise have been dreaming of for so long. Or at least, so we hope.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

However, it did so without feeling like it was overplaying its hand. Rockstar has a knack for crafting trailers that feel restrained and manage to hold a lot of information back even with all of the things that they do show, and Grand Theft Auto 6’s trailer felt no different. And though that wouldn’t ordinarily be an issue with the marketing cycle for any other game, knowing how Rockstar operates, it likely won’t be long before the thirst for more info sets in for many. Grand Theft Auto 6’s second trailer arrived well over a year after its reveal trailer did, which is very much part for the course for a Rockstar marketing cycle- just like at how the company handled Red Dead Redemption 2, for instance.

That, of course, means it’s very likely going to be a while before we get the next trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, especially because, as Rockstar confirmed shortly before the second trailer went live, that the game had been delayed from its previously planned Fall 2025 launch to a May 26, 2026 release. That GTA 6 would likely get delayed was something that many had already made their peace with the moment a Fall 2025 launch window was announced, so the delay didn’t necessarily come as a shock- though it does mean that Rockstar now has more time to deliberately and carefully pick the timing for when it wants to show more of GTA 6… and Rockstar, as we know, is a company that likes to take its time.

And why is that going to be frustrating, other than the plain and simple fact that the wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 is continuing to stretch on even now, twelve years on from its predecessor’s release and seven years after Rockstar’s last major game, Red Dead Redemption 2, came out? Well, perhaps it’s because of the fact that, at this point, a little over a year out from GTA 6’s release, there’s still so much that we just don’t know about the game. With its two official trailers so far, Rockstar has officially confirmed several crucial details – from the game being set in Vice City and its surrounding regions to Lucia and Jason starring as the game’s leading duo in what’s looking like a modern Bonnie and Clyde-inspired story – but in classic Rockstar fashion, the company has kept its cards pretty close to its chest. It has very carefully chosen what to show and what to confirm, and deliberately left out what at this stage feels like a lot.

We do not, for instance, know how the world is structured. Grand Theft Auto 4 and 5 completely reimagined and redesigned their settings of Liberty City and Los Santos respectively, when compared to their past renditions, and GTA 6 is of course doing the same with Vice City and other locales in the state of Leonida. Details on a number of these locations have emerged alongside the game’s second trailer, but there’s much of the world that we haven’t seen even now. What should we expect from the environmental diversity? What kinds of different activities will the world offer up across its many locations? How different (or not) will some of these locations be to what we remember from Vice City’s past iteration?

And that’s not all by any means. We do not, for instance, know much about the leading pair of Lucia and Jason even now. Both trailers for GTA 6 have given us a cursory look into the pair, yes, but much of their backstories and their history together has been left untouched, while we haven’t really seen much more than a few glimpses here and there of the game’s cast of secondary characters either. We also don’t know what to expect from the mission structure and design- is Rockstar going to stick with the story of cinematic, highly scripted missions that it has always been known for, something that it did start drawing some criticism for with Red Dead Redemption 2, or is GTA 6 going to shake things up a little bit?

Beyond that, what are the customization and progression mechanics going to look like? What should we expect from GTA 6’s roster of vehicles and weapons? Will the character switching work the way it did in Grand Theft Auto 5? Will the game continue to play with choice and consequence mechanics the way both Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 did in their own unique ways, and to varying degrees? And of course, above all else, many are still also pondering on the big question- what will GTA 6’s online component be like? Presumably, the game won’t launch with its own version of GTA Online- so when will it arrive, and how will it up the ante on GTA 5’s online component?

All of this isn’t to say that Rockstar hasn’t done well with the two gameplay trailers that it has put out for GTA 6 thus far. On the contrary, both of its trailers have generated massive buzz and excitement, as evidenced by the massive viewership numbers they’ve both touted (the second trailer in particular broke all viewership records for a new video launch, according to Rockstar Games). The frustration comes not from Rockstar not having shown anything exciting, but from the incredible potential that’s on display, which in turn leaves us desperately wanting for more, which we know we’re not going to get for a while because Rockstar is Rockstar and GTA 6 is still a little over a year away.

Our hope is that the next trailer, whenever it arrives, will offer a deeper look at the gameplay, at some of the finer aforementioned mechanics that will comprise the overarching gameplay loop, at Vice City and its surrounding regions, and of course, at the leading duo of Jason and Lucia. Of curse, we’re expecting Rockstar to do things on its own terms, because that it is how it has always done things- and really, at this point, the power of the Rockstar brand and the GTA brand is enough to justify that sort of an approach. While most (if not all) other games and companies would likely require marketing cycles that were significantly less passive to generate the sort of hype and excitement they needed to generate, Grand Theft Auto 6 can do that simply by virtue of existing and being on the horizon- and Rockstar is perfectly aware of that fact. What that means is that it’s likely going to be a while before we see more of GTA 6– but at this point, we can also probably be sure that whenever we do, it’s likely going to be worth the wait.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

NEAR-PHOTOREALISTIC VISUALS

Let’s start with the basics- GTA 6 looks absolutely gorgeous, which is what you’d expect from a Rockstar title, to the point where it looks outright photorealistic at some point. For instance, take a look at this specific screenshot and the level of detail that it exhibits to give you an idea of just how visually and technically impressive the game is looking.

DRAW DISTANCES

This is something that Rockstar games tend to excel at more often than not, so it’s no surprise to see GTA 6 touting some of the most impressive draw distances we’ve ever seen. Same as the first trailer, the second trailer boasts plenty of shots where you can see far into the distance with an impressive level of fidelity maintained even for distance things and objects.

CLOUDS

Throughout the new GTA 6 trailer, you can also spot plenty of shots of the skybox, which is looking absolutely gorgeous- again, to no one’s surprise. Specifically, plenty of moments throughout the trailer also showcases gorgeous, dynamically forming volumetric clouds.

LIGHTING

Across the entirety of GTA 6’s trailer 2, you can see countless examples of the game’s gorgeous lighting and the massive jump it is making over past Rockstar titles (which were already gorgeous in and of themselves). At one point, for instance, you can see flashing lights from a cop car dynamically and realistically bouncing off of a nearby wall.

GRASS BLADES

A classic example of Rockstar’s well-known propensity for obsessive attention to detail. At various spots in GTA 6’s newest trailer, you can pause and take a closer look at patches of grass to see that each blade of grass has been individually modelled. It’s not the first time we’ve seen this in a game, but it is still the kind of obsessiveness you don’t see from too many other devs.

HAIR PHYSICS

For whatever reason, hair physics are often the benchmark for how visually and technically impressive a game for many- and GTA 6 is passing every test with flying colours in this area. Throughout the trailer, you can see complex animations for different kinds, lengths, and volumes of hair, all of it looking consistently and remarkable realistic.

ANIMAL FUR

Let’s stick with hair for a little longer- or, more accurately, fur. Specifically, if you pay close attention, you’ll be able to spot animal fur getting wet when it comes in contact with water. It’s not groundbreaking or even unprecedented by any means, but it’s a neat detail nonetheless.

MUSCLE DEFORMATION

One of the more minute details you’ll notice in the new GTA 6 trailer is the realistic muscle deformation that you can spot on Jason. Watch him closely as he moves around and you’ll see his muscles moving and animating through the skin in stunningly realistic fashion.

DRIPPING SWEAT

Similarly, you can also spot droplets of sweat dripping down characters’ faces and bodies at various points throughout the trailer. How much this will tie into things such as weather or, say, how much physical energy a character is exerting remains to be seen, but such as the insane level of detail that Rockstar titles are known for.

CAR MIRRORS

One particularly neat detail fans may not have caught in the trailer is the reflections in wing mirrors on cars. Specifically, the reflections look shockingly realistic, touting impressive dynamics and authenticity.

CAR INTERIORS

GTA 6 might be no Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo, but we suspect automobile enthusiasts will find plenty of enjoyment in the game’s gorgeous car interiors. Every shot we’ve seen of the inside of a car so far has touted varied and incredible detailed interiors.

DIRTY CARS

Sticking with GTA 6’s cars for a moment longer, another neat detail – but not entirely an unexpected one – to be spotted in the trailer is that you can visibly see cars getting dirty as they drive around. At various points, cars’ bodies clearly have fresh spots or layers of dirt and dust on them.

TRAFFIC

You expect this to be the case in pretty much every new GTA, and sure enough, Grand Theft Auto 6 is seemingly touting heavily improved traffic density. It was abundantly evident in the first trailer, and is once again in trailer 2, which shows plenty of shots of impressively dense traffic, both in terms of on-foot NPCs milling around and vehicles on the road.

SAND DEFORMATION

You’ll see plenty of beaches throughout your time in Vice City and surrounding regions in the state of Leonida in Grand Theft Auto 6– which means you’ll also be seeing plenty of sand. And the sand, in a word, looks excellent. Sand deformation is what is most impressive here, as you can see in a couple of shots in the game’s newest trailer.

WATER PHYSICS

Just as impressive as the sand deformation are the water physics in the trailer. There’s obviously plenty of water to see in your surroundings in Vice City, and we see plenty of it in the trailer as well. From how gorgeous it looks and how authentically it animates and moves to how it reacts to vehicles moving through and how it dynamically reflects light, GTA 6’s water visuals are looking quite impressive.

MARINE LIFE

Credit: Reddit User khush_7x

Speaking of realistic water, we’ve also seen glimpses of some of GTA 6’s underwater visuals, and they’re looking quite impressive. You can, for instance, spot surprisingly varied and authentic looking marine life at one point. We fully expect to be able to zone out and just keep staring at GTA 6’s underwater environments.

PHONE SCREEN

To give you an idea of the ridiculous level of attention detail Rockstar is pouring into Grand Theft Auto 6, at specific points in the trailer, you can really zoom in on phones in the background to even be able to spot faint hints of the time and app icons being displayed on the screen.

GTA 5 REFERENCE

Credit: Reddit User: Sleep_Holiday

GTA 6’s newest trailer shows co-protagonist Lucia exiting a prison at a specific point, and interestingly enough, the t-shirt she’s wearing in that scene is a GTA 5 reference. Pause and zoom in a little and you’ll clearly spot faded print on the shirt for the rollercoaster named Leviathan found on Del Perro Pier in GTA 5’s Los Santos.

FLIP FLOPS

One shot in GTA 6’s newest trailer showcases an NPC riding a bike, and doing so while wearing flip flops. Interestingly, if you look close, you’ll see the flip flops animating separately and realistically as the NPC pedals the bike.

HOMAGE TO VICE CITY

Rockstar Games appears to be leaning heavily into nostalgia with GTA 6, as there are striking visual homages to the original Vice City cast. Characters bearing a strong resemblance to icons like Tommy Vercetti, Lance Vance, and Ricardo Diaz have been spotted in the trailers, with their outfits, postures, and overall vibes seemingly crafted as deliberate nods to the 2002 classic.

COINS

Moving on from cash bills to coin- because there’s something to note here as well. A specific shot in GTA 6 shows a close up of sorts of a cash register being opened, inside which you can see individually modelled coins, sporting different sizes and variations.

MORE CASH DETAILS

Also in that same scene, alongside coins, you can of course also spot plenty of cash bills in the register, and impressively enough, the bills have different shades of colours to indicate usage and wear and tear.

EXPLOSIONS

We all love a good looking exploring, and Rockstar’s games have usually tried their best to deliver the most explosive and best looking explosions they possible can with the technology and hardware on their hands. Grand Theft Auto 6 seems to be continuing that trend. Unsurprisingly for GTA, the newest trailer has explosions to show off, and they look utterly stunning- which may not come as a surprise, but is impressive to look at nonetheless.

GUN MODELS

There’s a surprisingly big jump in GTA 6’s quality of weapon models. Compared to GTA 5, which is of course more than a decade old at this point, Grand Theft Auto 6’s weapons and guns bear a much greater level of minute detail that fans will appreciate.

COIN ANIMATIONS

Credit: Reddit user: MobileAerie9918

Rockstar’s commitment to immersion shines through in even the smallest interactions, and the animated coins inside the cash register during a robbery in GTA 6 is a perfect example. It’s not just eye candy, it’s a subtle touch that elevates the entire experience, making the world feel more reactive, alive, and meticulously crafted.

Games are meant to be played and it’s in this area where GTA 6 shows tremendous potential to outdo RDR 2. Everyone knows how remarkably realistic and sim-like RDR 2 is, but that severe attention to detail occasionally resulted in fussy and irritating gameplay. Arthur Morgan feels weighty, and at times, unwieldy to control. Accenting the basic control weightiness is the laundry list of animations you must wait to finish before moving on from a basic action.

Yes, a lot of these luxurious animations are tied to optional content like fishing to an extent, but core mechanics like upgrading equipment and looting are a lengthy process that must be patiently endured before moving on. By contrast, GTA 5 feels snappy and immediate with its character control. While there are animations tied to many actions, they’re much shorter in GTA 5 than in RDR 2. It’s a genuine possibility that Rockstar could give GTA 6 the painstaking RDR 2 animation treatment regarding actions but based on past GTA games and its identity as a more arcade style gameplay experience, it’s unlikely GTA 6 will go the route of RDR 2.  Further, GTA 5 is generally regarded as the best Rockstar game from a gunplay standpoint. By comparison, RDR 2 guns feel less immediate thanks to the realistic depiction of how firearms operated in 1899. Many fans prefer the ultra-realistic approach of RDR 2, but in terms of basic gameplay fun, GTA 6 will likely surpass it by a wide margin.

While we’re on the topic of pure fun factor, it’s hard to top GTA’s vehicles. The driving mechanics and vehicle variety is so good in GTA 5 that it’s generally considered a driving game in its own right, even among racing enthusiasts. Now, it’s true that GTA 5’s car handling is more arcady and forgiving than GTA 4’s, but the loose floatiness of GTA 4‘s cars thankfully got replaced by stiffer suspension and an emphasis on grip in GTA 5. And then there’s the boatload of driving upgrades and mods, which further enhance handling to fit your preference. GTA vehicles also feel distinct from one another. Each car has a bespoke exhaust note, different handling characteristics and stats, and a unique cockpit perspective to enjoy. Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place in the Wild West during the turn of the 20th Century, so transportation is understandably much slower. Many joke that 70% of any Rockstar game is driving vehicles or riding horses and there’s a grain of truth to such a sentiment.

RDR 2’s horses are realistically portrayed. Almost everyone who’s played RDR 2 knows the dreaded sensation of seeing their mount falling off the edge of a cliff due to an unwieldy horse or imprecise input response. The horse bond system is immersive and fun, but even at full bond rank, you can’t control horses with absolute precision like with GTA 5’s cars; horses are living creatures after all, and they react with a mind of their own. Travelling across GTA 6’s map is almost certainly going to be more exciting and variable than the traversal within RDR 2. We’ve already seen dozens of familiar vehicles in the GTA 6 trailer and cannot wait to see the full roster of cars, boats, and planes when the game releases in 2025.

Vehicles aren’t the only modernized aspect that GTA can take advantage of, though. The current-day time period gives Rockstar a tremendous degree of creative freedom within every facet of GTA 6. Take social media as an example; the GTA 6 trailer showcases a bunch of crazy events broadcasting on the smartphones of numerous characters. This could be a groundbreaking feature akin to the character swapping that GTA 5 experimented with. Imagine your antics in Vice City being broadcast through in-game news feeds and social media posts. Even if it’s just relegated to story stuff, the potential for a social media mechanic allows for greater immersion into the world and allows for a fun way to receive exposition. But the presence of internet and social media is only the tip of the iceberg of what’s possible in GTA 6’s modern setting. By comparison, RDR 2’s portrayal of a 1899 wild west drama is deliciously antiquated, serving as a grounded and much more predictable setting. This difference in time period and setting is largely preferential, but there’s no denying the greater creative freedom that GTA 6 will likely enjoy compared to the historically rich setting of RDR 2 that we all love.

One area of RDR 2 that will be particularly hard to top is story. Rockstar has always excelled in writing compelling characters, yet RDR 2 goes above and beyond their usual standards. The scripting, acting performances, and character development is Oscar-winning stuff. As a villain, Dutch has a good side to him that can be sympathized with, especially considering Arthur’s close relationship to him throughout the game. RDR 2‘s voice acting and music direction is still some of the best in all of gaming. Can GTA 6 deliver a story that rivals or even exceeds RDR 2: it’s possible, but it’ll take a heck of a lot to achieve.

The protagonist dynamic has strong story potential to impress. Limiting the main cast to just two protagonists invite a more intimate dynamic and character involvement than GTA 5‘s rotating cast. The protagonists may have more depth to them than we realize. Will they initially meet each other on opposite ends of the law? I can already theorize some heart-wrenching plot twists in the narrative like the two getting separated or one of them having to sacrifice the other in the game’s climax. GTA 6 has some real potential to rival RDR 2’s story, but it’ll take everything Rockstar has to pull it off.

That said, GTA 6 will almost certainly surpass RDR 2 in sales and general popularity. Grand Theft Auto holds a massive IP presence to the point where people without a single gaming bone in their body know the name. GTA 5 was the fastest-selling entertainment product when it released, making $1 billion in the first three days. RDR 2 sold remarkably well too, falling just short of GTA 5’s record-breaking numbers with $750 million in the first week. Whether or not the setting or realism is better is largely up to individual taste, but there’s no denying that GTA 6 is set to break all kinds of records just like its predecessor did in 2013.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

GTA Online Updates Will Stop Because GTA 6, Red Dead Redemption 2

One of the stranger rumors that circulated before Red Dead Redemption 2’s release was about how updates for GTA Online would be slowing down. Yan 2295, who also leaked a remaster for LA Noire being in the works, reported in January 2017 that updates for the online mode would stop by the time that RDR2 released. Not because of Red Dead Online potentially replacing it but because, “Some people are helping San Diego with RDR2, some people started working on the next GTA, and some people are working on another game,” as per the leaker. “So you’re left with only a few people to work on GTA Online. You can’t have updates as big as we had in the past when you have 4x less devs working on GTA Online, that’s just impossible.” Which is funny because numerous big updates continue to be released for Grand Theft Auto Online, the latest being Los Santos Tuners which attracted more players than any previous update, and it remains a key focus for the company.

Known industry insider Tom Henderson has had a solid track record with leaks, especially when it comes to Battlefield and Call of Duty, and recently, he uploaded a video talking about the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto 6- which, according to him, is going to be set in modern-day Vice City (via GamesRadar). While we’ve only ever seen Vice City during the 80s until now, Henderson states Rockstar doesn’t want a period setting to limit the game’s online component.

Henderson also states that like its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto 6 is going to have multiple playable protagonists, one of whom is going to be a woman. Vice City being the game’s setting and it having the series’ first female protagonist are details that have come up in previous rumours as well.

Henderson’s video also claims that the game will feature a map that grows and changes over time, likening it to Fortnite. A report last year claimed that Grand Theft Auto 6, allegedly in early development at the time, would launch as a medium-sized game, with Rockstar intending to expand it with regular post-launch updates.

Finally, Henderson also states that the game is probably not going to come out for a while, and might even launch as late as 2025- which is something that Rockstar can surely afford, given the persevering success of GTA 5. Henderson states that wanting to avoid crunch in the wake of damning reports of Red Dead Redemption 2’s development is one of the reasons for delaying development so much. Another reason is that the game is apparently going to release only for the new consoles, and Rockstar wants their install bases to grow before it launches.

As is always the case with any unverified leak – especially when it comes to Grand Theft Auto, it’s best to take this wait a grain of salt. The details do line up with other past rumours- but then again, those, too, were rumours.

In the meantime, if you want to play Grand Theft Auto 5 again, you can do so when it launches for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S later this year.