It has been nine years since the release of Grand Theft Auto V. Fans of the series might not have to wait much longer for the next installment.
Rockstar Games, the developer of the video game industry’s biggest franchise, has confirmed that work is “well underway” on a new game and hinted details could be coming in the not-too-distant future.
“With the unprecedented longevity of GTAV, we know many of you have been asking us about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series,” the studio wrote in a statement. “With every new project we embark on, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we have previously delivered—and we are pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway. We look forward to sharing more as soon as we are ready.”
Rockstar, which also makes the Red Dead Redemption games, is a notoriously tight-lipped studio that rarely discusses its next project too far in advance of release. The studio does not release games with an investor-centric viewpoint, instead focusing solely on meeting its own exacting standards before allowing players access.
Grand Theft Auto V was the biggest seller of the past 10 years (and the game continues to be a cash generator for publisher Take-Two Interactive Software). In the first 24 hours of its release in 2011, the game generated more than $800 million in worldwide revenue. Life to date, it has sold over 150 million copies. The franchise as a whole has sold over 355 million games.
Part of GTA V’ s longevity has been the introduction of an online mode that has been a major revenue driver, helping Take-Two regularly beat earnings estimates.
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