On Thursday, developer Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two announced that "Grand Theft Auto VI" will be available for pre-order starting June 25. The game, which has been in development for over ten years and has been delayed many times, is expected to be released on that date.
"It's like in a Western movie where you're the last one to shoot. You're waiting for everyone else to show their cards. I think most game publishers waited until the very end to find out whether Take-Two was serious about releasing 'GTA VI' in November," says Emmanuel Rosier, head of market analysis at industry analysis firm Newzoo, which specializes in the gaming industry.
“Poorly positioned”
The fact that "GTA VI" is released in November has created a potential "cannibalism" situation in the gaming industry, where other major releases such as "Blood of the dawnwalker", "Marvel's Wolverine", "Control Resonant", "Silent Hill: Townfall", "Gears of war: E-day", "Minecraft dungeons 2", and "Dune: Awakening" are released in September and October, and thus must compete for players' attention and wallets.
Not many people want to take on "GTA" head-on in November, says Emmanuel Rosier.
He points out that November is not traditionally a month for many releases, and that it's advantageous for developers to release in September, since those games can be part of Black Friday campaigns.
He also believes that some genres are at greater risk than others during the September rush, as "GTA" looms on the horizon.
If you're making a game in a modern open world, then you're in a bad spot.
In November and December the release window is basically empty, a sign that game companies are counting on players being occupied with "GTA VI".
Battle for casual players
The crowded September release schedule could also affect the annual sports games that otherwise face less competition, according to Rosier:
There could be a battle for amateur players in September, he says.
The next big question mark surrounding "GTA VI" is the pricing, which is also expected to be announced on June 25. Some have speculated that the game will cost upwards of $100, or nearly a thousand Swedish kronor. Emmanuel Rosier hopes that the naysayers are wrong and has some advice for Take-Two.
"Don't release a standard edition at $100, because then everyone will talk about your price and not your game," he says.
