With its upcoming release, the franchise that introduced many players to open-world gaming is facilitating a new type of freedom. Rockstar Games wants the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI to serve as its answer to Roblox and Fortnite by offering players the tools they need to create customized games and metaverse-style experiences.
According to Digiday, Rockstar has held discussions with Roblox and Fortnite creators about their potential uses for GTA VI‘s sandbox tools. The idea is to populate servers with player-created worlds that will offer a variety of experiences once GTA VI debuts this fall.
Rockstar’s efforts to build a base of user-generated content for its new game would also involve creators who have previous activity within the GTA franchise. The link between GTA and in-game creativity dates back to 2001, when Grand Theft Auto III debuted an open-world map that let players explore to a degree that was then unprecedented. Endless “GTA clones” followed, as well as multiple new installments in Rockstar’s AAA franchise.
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By the time GTA V arrived in 2013, Rockstar had its sights set on a different type of player freedom. On multiplayer servers, players used GTA assets to develop a sprawling library of multiplayer minigames, roleplays, and other custom experiences. Channels like Rooster Teeth turned those games into blockbuster entertainment, creators copied one another endlessly, and GTA V endured as the internet’s most-streamed game for years.
The worlds built within GTA V a decade ago resemble the UGC that thrives today through platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. With players becoming accustomed to immersive metaverse experiences, developers on Roblox and Fortnite are reaping the rewards, earning hundreds of millions of dollars over the past year.
The vast sums flowing through game creation platforms explains why Rockstar is interested in following suit. GTA VI may include some work from Roblox devs, but its economic setup could be different from its rivals. Digiday noted that FiveM — the Rockstar-owned mod that facilitates multiplayer GTA V servers — requires users to pay subscription fees. There’s no equivalent revenue stream in Roblox and Fortnite, where branded content experiences have become the norm. Rockstar has historically avoided brand tie-ins within the GTA franchise, but the lucrative nature of those partnerships could change the developer’s thinking.
Though user-generated content feels like a no-brainer for GTA VI, Rockstar still has to work out the specifics of its creator ecosystem. Gamers have joked for years about how long it’s taken for GTA VI to see release, but Rockstar is out to prove that the next installment of its flagship title will be worth the wait.
