The entire gaming industry is bracing for the November release of GTA VI, trying to avoid its impact. However, Arrowhead Game Studios, the developer of Helldivers 2, remains unusually calm about the impending storm from Rockstar, primarily due to GTA VI's phased release strategy.
Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani stated: "Rockstar consistently produces absurdly large-scale, heavily invested titles, and it's great that such games can even come to fruition. From a somewhat selfish perspective, I'm glad it won't launch on PC immediately, and that the online mode won't be available on day one."
Rockstar has hinted that GTA VI will focus more on the single-player experience at launch. GTA Online for GTA V also didn't go live on the game's release day but was launched several weeks later.
Regardless, these factors have bought Helldivers 2 some breathing room. After all, his game is about players exterminating bug swarms and dismantling cyborgs in an endless space war.
"This means Helldivers 2 can continue to dominate in its own space, and precisely because of this, GTA VI won't become the all-consuming behemoth everyone fears."
This point is indeed crucial. While everyone awaits the next GTA to sweep through popular culture, GTA VI will initially launch only on PS5 and Xbox Series X. PC-only players will have to keep waiting, and those more focused on online content may also find themselves sitting here for an uncertain period.
However, this won't affect advertising and news coverage—at least until Christmas, you'll still see headlines about GTA VI. Shams Jorjani also acknowledged that this is nothing new for Rockstar; they're simply doing what they've been doing for decades.
He said: "Currently, all companies in the industry are constantly adjusting their strategies, overly focusing on early player feedback just to survive. But Rockstar possesses strong brand influence and can confidently proceed with their classic approach step by step."
Ever since GTA III, Rockstar has held this position. The release of their games is an industry event in itself, and over time, they have become increasingly difficult competitors to contend with. Jorjani believes that GTA VI will once again raise the bar for the industry.
"They have enough confidence and freedom to spend ten years crafting games the old-fashioned way, because they know the core gameplay experience will definitely deliver satisfactory results. This game will surely raise the industry standard once again."