There’s a long, long list of reasons to be excited for a new Grand Theft Auto game. The immense open world and how detailed and immersive it’ll be. The ridiculous, over-the-top humour the series has always been known for. The prospect of wreaking havoc in a chaotic open world sandbox. And after GTA 5, the online component that you will like pour dozens (if not hundreds) of hours into. But one aspect in particular whose importance cannot be overstated in any Rockstar game, not just Grand Theft Auto, is the storytelling, and more importantly, the protagonists.
Grand Theft Auto 6 has now been officially revealed, and initial details on its central plot are now available, and though there’s obviously still so much that we don’t know about the game on that front, from the little that we’ve seen so far, we’re already very excited to learn more about its pair of protagonists. True to the many reports over the past couple of years, it’s been confirmed that Lucia will be taking centerstage, alongside her partner-in-crime Jason- his name has actually not been officially revealed by Rockstar yet, though at this point, it’s safe to assume that the reports about GTA 6’s protagonists were accurate.
The dynamic that Lucia and Jason share is one of the biggest reasons for why we’re so excited about what they will bring to the table. “Love” isn’t something that we’ve associated with GTA protagonists too often, after all. In Grand Theft Auto 5, even though Michael, Trevor, and Franklin were allies (more often than not), their alliance was usually an uneasy one, and there was often plenty of bad blood between them (between Michael and Trevor in particular), not to mention the fact that depending on which ending you went with, things between the three of them could end in disastrous fashion.
On the other hand, it looks like things between Lucia and Jason in Grand Theft Auto 6 are going to be very different. Reports have claimed that they’re going to be a Bonnie and Clyde-inspired pair of thieves, which is inherently a fascinating core concept to build a GTA story around, while the trailer also makes it clear that the two of them are in a trusting relationship, one that’s building up an “us against the world” mentality for the two of them. Now, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any conflict between them throughout the game – in fact, we’d be surprised if there wasn’t – but for the starting point for a pair of GTA protagonists to be one where they’re partners not only in a professional capacity, but also a personal one, is a very new and fresh twist for the franchise, and one that we’re excited to dive deep into.
Beyond that, there are, of course, other reasons that GTA 6’s protagonists have piqued our interest- including the obvious one that everyone is talking about. Lucia is effectively the first female protagonist we’re going to be playing as in a Grand Theft Auto game (or, hell, a major Rockstar game in general). Yes, the early days of the series did let you play as women, but the last time the series had that option was GTA 2’s Game Boy version in 2000. That was a time where GTA was radically different from what it is now known as, a time when the series didn’t place much of an emphasis on story and storytelling, a time when it was a top-down experience. It’s fair to say that the protagonists in those early GTA years didn’t make much of an impression.
Which, again, means Lucia is effectively going to be the first female protagonist in a GTA game (even if that’s technically not accurate), and a major, flagship Rockstar game as a whole. And that’s reason enough to be excited. Rockstar’s reputation as one of the best storytelling studios in the industry is a well-earned one, and particularly when it comes to building characters and protagonists, the developer has a track record unlike any other. What unique twists and turns will a female Latina protagonist introduce to that beloved brand of storytelling? We’re more than just a little excited to find out.
Oh, and speaking of Rockstar’s track record with protagonists- that’s another reason to be excited about what Lucia and Jason will bring to the table in Grand Theft Auto 6. Hell, it may even be the biggest reason of them all. Over the years, with each new GTA and Red Dead Redemption game that Rockstar has put out, it has delivered some of the best, most compelling, most well written, and most well-acted protagonists in gaming history, and given that track record, one can’t help but look forward to how Grand Theft Auto 6 will fare in this area with keen anticipation.
For obvious reasons, GTA 3’s silent protagonist isn’t something we’re talking about here, but every single major Rockstar game since then has knocked the ball out of the park in this area. In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, we got Tommy Vercetti, voiced spectacularly by the legendary Ray Liotta. In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, we got CJ, one of the most popular and iconic protagonists in franchise history. In Grand Theft Auto 4, we got Niko Bellic, who’s tragic story and dark past made for one of the most compelling stories the series has ever told. In Grand Theft Auto 5, we got the trifecta of Michael, Trevor, and Franklin, who have grown into nothing short of legends among the series’ hundreds of millions of fans over the years.
Moving beyond GTA and looking at Red Dead, in Red Dead Redemption 1, we got to step into the shoes of John Marston, a character who needs no introduction and easily ranks as one of gaming’s best personalities. And then, of course, there was Red Dead Redemption 2’s Arthur Morgan. No amount of praise will ever be enough for him. Thanks to an unforgettable performance by Roger Clark, a captivating story about redemption, betrayal, and the inevitability of death, convincing relationships with the entire varied cast of characters, and some of the best writing we’ve ever seen in a Rockstar game, Arthur Morgan stands out not only as the best protagonist ever in a Rockstar title, but perhaps even the greatest character we’ve ever had the good fortune of seeing in any game, ever.
When a company has that sort of a track record with its central protagonists, how can you not be excited about what it will deliver in the future? Grand Theft Auto 6’s Lucia and Jason obviously have enormous expectations to live up to, but it’s exactly because of those expectations that we’re so confident that they’ll do so with flying colours. From Rockstar’s incredible track record to the unique things that the new leading pair is bringing to the GTA franchise, there are plenty of reasons for why we can’t help but feel like the Bonnie and Clyde-inspired pair of thieves in love is going to be one of GTA 6’s brightest highlights.
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.
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