I’m usually very reluctant to make predictions about the future. Even though I try every year with the upcoming NFL season, I always disclose that my track record is not great. So, it’s exceedingly rare that I ever predict anything with confidence.
Today, I’m making an exception. Because I’ve never been more confident in predicting what will happen on May 26, 2026.
On that day, Grand Theft Auto VI is set to be released. And if, by chance, you had any plans that day, expect them to be impacted significantly. If you need to understand why, just take a moment to appreciate the trailer that Rockstar Games dropped for this game.
Even if you don’t play video games or aren’t a fan of games like Grand Theft Auto, there’s a very high likelihood you know someone who already has this date marked. I’ve highlighted before just how big this franchise is. It’s more than just a string of video games. Grand Theft Auto is one of the most valuable and lucrative franchises in all of entertainment.
Just look at the number of views for this and the previous trailer.
Look at just how much revenue the previous Grand Theft Auto game generated.
There are entire film and TV franchises that can’t even compare to Grand Theft Auto. Even if you find that annoying, thinking this game will only occupy a certain male video game playing demographic, you’re wrong. This game is going to completely overtake the entertainment landscape when it comes out.
So, between now and May 26, 2026 (assuming no delays), plan accordingly. Because it’s a near certainty that this date, as well as the entire week that ensues, will be the least productive week of the year. Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be the biggest video game of the decade, if not of all time. In terms of predictions, I’m as confident as anyone can be on this.
It’s relatively common these days for someone to claim certain news or announcements will “break the internet.” The fact you’re reading this and the internet is still intact demonstrates how much that sentiment has become cliché. And given how many dumb things end up trending for dumber reasons, it’s perfectly reasonable to roll your eyes at the very concept.
This event might not have “broken” the internet, but it has perfectly demonstrated how the internet can reflect the hype and excitement for something. Whether it’s a game, a movie, a TV show, or a big moment in sports, there’s something powerful about how it reveals the interest and popularity of something. It’s just as powerful at highlighting the controversies surrounding it, even when those controversies are dumb.
In case you missed it or just want to watch it again for the hundredth time, here’s the trailer to Grand Theft Auto VI.
Unless you’re familiar with video games and the gaming industry, as a whole, you probably can’t appreciate just what a big deal this trailer is. Even if you’ve never played a video game in your life, you’ve probably heard about the Grand Theft Auto games, but not for the reasons you’ve also probably heard of Mario.
Grand Theft Auto is one of those gaming franchises that has always been in the news for the right and wrong reasons. This is the franchise that helped popularize the concept of open world games. You’re not restricted to just going from one point to another, completing objectives in a mostly linear manner. You’re free to explore an entire virtual world. And the Grand Theft Auto games are among the best at creating those worlds while also putting a unique twist on them.
But it’s that freedom to explore unique worlds that has also led to the many controversies surrounding this franchise, going all the way back to the early 1990s. As the title suggests, one of the major activities in these games often involve committing crimes and following stories that involve any number of criminal activities. From robbing banks to doing heists to assassination plots, there’s all sorts of devious activities to be had in these games.
Naturally, that has always drawn the ire of the anti-fun puritanical whiners from all ends of the political spectrum. Grant Theft Auto was among the franchises singled out by some of the industry’s most vocal critics. And it’s still often cited as the embodiment of the worst elements of modern video games, from how it glorifies violence to how it presents female characters to how it satirizes American politics.
But despite all these controversies and crusades, there’s no denying one critical detail. This franchise is insanely popular. It is one of these most successful franchises in the history of gaming. And its developer, Rockstar Games, is one of these most successful and respected video game publishers in the world. They may not be iconic in the same way as Nintendo, but make no mistake. This series and this company are among the greatest success stories in the history of video games and media, in general.
To understand the breadth of that success, you need to look beyond the simple sales figures of those games. Granted, Grand Theft Auto games tend to be among the highest-selling video games of all time. Both Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas sold over 20 million copies in the early 2000s. And they put up those numbers, despite some controversies that threatened to pull them from store shelves.
But even these sales figures pale in comparison to the success of Grand Theft Auto V, the current gold standard of the series. This game, which was originally released in 2013, has sold 190 million copies worldwide across multiple platforms. For any game or any media product of any kind, that is not a trivial figure.
But it’s the revenue generated by Grand Theft Auto V that’s truly worth noting. As of December 2023, this game has generated approximately $8.3 billion in revenue. This includes both sales of the game and the money generated by its online features. That’s not just a lot of money by most measures. That kind of revenue makes this one Grand Theft Auto game one of the most successful media products of all time.
It made more money than every Avatar movie.
It made more money than nearly every TV show or series.
It made more money than any musician, band, or artist.
Unless the franchise involves Star Wars or Marvel, this one game probably out-grossed it all. Even with it being the biggest target among anti-gaming critics, it has become one of the biggest success stories in the history of modern media.
And now, Rockstar is preparing to give us a sequel. It’s been in the work for many years, even while Grand Theft Auto V was still generating plenty of revenue. It’s also expected to be one of the most expensive games to develop of all time, with costs expected to range between $1 billion and $2 billion. But to anyone who has watched the trailer and knows Rockstar’s track record, it’s clear they’re putting that money to good use.
I don’t claim to know how much money this game will make. But it’s worth noting that, when the trailer released, it generated over 100 million views within the first 36 hours. To put that into perspective, that’s more than the trailer for Grand Theft Auto V has generated over 12 years. These are figures that rival that of the Avengers: Infinity War trailer or a Taylor Swift music video.
With all these numbers and perspectives in mind, what does this ultimately mean for this game and the millions of gamers looking forward to playing it? Nobody can say for certain. While Grand Theft Auto might not be my favorite gaming franchise, I have played these games. I understand why they’re so popular and why they’re so controversial.
The popularity of these games may not be as obvious as packed concerts or crowded movie theaters. But the reaction to this trailer, both in terms of raw figures and the discourse surrounding it, should offer some insights into just how popular this series is. And if it’s even as remotely successful as its predecessor, it’s certain to generate more reactions and controversies for the right and wrong reasons.
I’ve been playing video games for most of my life. I’m old enough to remember the excitement surrounding “Super Mario Bros. 3,” “Legends of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” and the first Pokémon craze. While I don’t consider myself an avid or hardcore gamer, I still have immense love and respect for gaming.
In the time I’ve been playing games and following the industry, I’ve seen many games that were heavily hyped. I vividly remember how games like “No Man’s Sky” and “Spore” were supposed to revolutionize the industry. Most of the time, the game was a letdown, relative to said hype. A few managed to deliver. Franchises like Zelda and Grand Theft Auto keep finding a way.
However, I’ve yet to see a game garner as much hype as “Cyberpunk 2077.” I’ve also yet to see a game garner such a mixed reaction in conjunction with such a chaotic launch. Now granted, some of that might be due to the general chaos of 2020, but the story surrounding this game has been a special kind of messy.
The long and short of that story is this.
The game itself was announced was announced back in May 2012 by CD Projekt Red.
The game was originally slated for release in April 2020, but was delayed twice.
Once the game finally did come out, it was found to be glitchy and buggy. Some older gaming systems, like the Playstation 4, could not effectively run it and even robust gaming PC’s struggled to play it.
Due to the bugs and messy release, fans and critics alike were outraged. Some demanded refunds and Sony even removed the digital version of the game from its store.
Again, there’s a lot more to the story behind this game and how its release was handled, but those are the basics. I won’t get into the meaty details. Others more qualified than me have handled that far better and I’ll defer to them for more insight.
The reason I’m talking about “Cyberpunk 2077” has less to do with the game itself and more to do with the emerging trends behind it. This isn’t the first game to endure a messy, glitchy launch. It’s also not the first to invite massive backlash from fans and customers. I doubt it’ll be the last, either.
It all comes down to this.
Nobody should be surprised that a game as big, ambitious, and complex as “Cyberpunk 2077” had glitches at launch.
Nobody should be surprised when any game that runs on powerful, complex gaming systems aren’t perfect from the beginning.
Everyone should expect patches and fixes that come out years after a game comes out. They’re practically unavoidable.
I know that sounds like a broad generalization. It may even sound like I’m making excuses for game developers like CD Projekt Red. I promise that’s not the case. This is just me sharing my perspective and I feel it’s worth sharing in the current era of AAA gaming.
Like it or not, the gaming industry has evolved a lot since the days of Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and the first Playstation. It’s not just that the industry has become more consolidated and more impacted by games people play on their phones. That is also part of it, but let’s take a moment to appreciate the bigger picture here.
A game like “Tetris” or “Super Mario Bros” is much less complex than a game like “Grand Theft Auto V” or “Elder Scrolls: Skyrim.” I’m not just talking about the story or gameplay, either. These games require a lot more in terms of development, polishing, and refinement to go from the drawing board to a finished product.
The hardware is more powerful.
The mechanics are more complex.
The logistics are far greater.
You didn’t used to have to hire top quality voice acting talent on the level of Keanu Reeves to develop a game. You just had text boxes and sound effects. That’s all games like “Legends of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” and the first Pokémon games needed.
However, those games couldn’t come out now and be as successful. They were products of their time, limited by the hardware and software needed to develop them. It still took time and effort, but let’s not lose perspective here. The entire size of those games could comfortably fit on a $10 flash drive.
In essence, a game like “Cyberpunk 2077” is to “Super Mario Brothers” what a Saturn V rocket is to a standard wheel. It has far more moving parts, far more complexities, and far more investment needed in order to make work.
When you have something that complex, things aren’t always going to go smoothly. Patches and tweaks will be necessary. It’s just a matter of extent. Even top-rated games like “Grand Theft Auto V” needed a few patches to make work. Other games like “Destiny 2” required so many patches that the game was basically overhauled.
In both cases, the games were better because of this. Even if it wasn’t perfect on launch, it created the foundation from which a truly awesome experience could emerge. That’s the best way to approach games like “Cyberpunk 2077.” Regardless of what the release date says, assume that’s just the beginning and not the end.
That’s not to say we should overlook every glitch and flaw at launch. Some just cannot be fixed, no matter how many patches are thrown at it. Games like “Fallout 76” are an unfortunate testament to that.
At the same time, some games are so mired by their launch that nobody notices or appreciates it when the game is ultimately fixed. That’s what happened to “Mass Effect: Andromeda,” a game that was also plagued by a glitchy and messy launch. However, several patches helped fix many of the issues. Now, I can confirm that the game in its most updated form is a genuinely solid gaming experience.
Unfortunately, fans gave up on that game, and many like it, too quickly. I feel like others didn’t even give it a chance because they listened to those who made such a big deal about the glitches at launch. It would be like people avoiding cars for the rest of their lives because the first few crashed or didn’t run well enough.
For this reason, I’ve gotten into the habit of not buying any AAA game at launch. Unless it’s a remaster, I always wait at least three to four months before I consider investing in it. That usually affords enough time to work out the kinks and get the necessary patches in place for the game to realize its full potential.
Sometimes, it’s still a letdown. Games like “Anthem” have never really taken hold, no matter how many patches and tweaks they get.
For the most part, though, there’s a benefit to waiting until months after launch. The hardest part is not letting negative reviews from people bemoaning the early glitches color your opinion of the game. That’s what helped me enjoy “Mass Effect: Andromeda.” I never would’ve gotten that experience had I read all the complaints about the earlier version of the game.
Sometimes, you need to exercise a little patience to get the gaming experience you seek. That’s not easy these days, especially as the gaming industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar entertainment behemoth. I remember just how visceral some of the reactions were when “Cyberpunk 2077.” Now, some of those same people are whining about the game appearing to have been rushed.
It’s the kind of hypocrisy that makes you want to punch your computer screen.
On top of that, game development these days is subject to significant strain among developers. It’s what fuels a less-than-pleasant aspect of the industry called crunch. When a company is eager to get a product to the market or to meet a deadline, it’ll lean heavily on its workers. Many times, those workers will suffer as a result.
It’s a distressing part of the industry, but one I doubt will go away anytime soon. As long as there’s demand for AAA games on par with “Cyberpunk 2077,” we’re going to endure things like this. Games are going to be launched with bugs. Game developers are going to be overworked to death to meet a deadline rather than risk angering the consumer base.
Until these trends and dynamics change, it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. In the meantime, I’m still going to be patient with “Cyberpunk 2077.” I don’t think I’ll get it until several months have gone by, complete with patches, and I have a new Playstation 5 to play it on.
Hopefully, it’ll be worth the wait. After all, where else am I going to play a game in which I can customize a character’s genitals?
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