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The trailer for what may be the most anticipated video game of all time is finally here \u2014 and not a moment too soon for the struggling gaming industry.
Rockstar Games, the company behind the 25-year-old series, released<\/a> a first look at Grand Theft Auto VI on Monday evening.
The one-and-a-half-minute video confirms the 2025 return of one of the most successful video game franchises almost a decade after the last installment. The trailer features Lucia, the franchise\u2019s first female protagonist. It teases a Bonnie and Clyde-style story set in Vice City, one of GTA’s classic locations based on Miami. The trailer teases heists, parties in an Everglades-like swamp and in-game social media that mirror’s real-world platforms like TikTok. <\/strong>By Tuesday morning, the trailer had been viewed more than 65 million times on YouTube.
But ahead of the GTA 6 trailer buzz, <\/strong>some in the video game industry lamented the year as a whole \u2014 noting that even excitement over such a large franchise game is not necessarily enough to keep spirits high. Despite a slew of critically acclaimed titles and successful film and television adaptations of games, 2023 was one of the most catastrophic years for layoffs in the gaming industry, experts said. Even Take-Two Interactive, of which Rockstar Games is a subsidiary<\/a>, cut jobs in March.
\u201cHaving been in the industry as long as I have, I don\u2019t remember there being a time like this,\u201d said Brenda Romero, studio director of Romero Games, who compared the industry\u2019s general present atmosphere to a funeral. \u201cI don\u2019t remember there being a time when there has been so much contraction.\u201d
Studios like CD Projekt Red, Bungie, BioWare, Epic Games and Electronic Arts are just a few of the game developers to go through layoffs this year. The Los Angeles Times<\/a>, which cited industry estimates, reported that 6,500 video game workers were laid off in 2023. Videogamelayoffs.com, an unofficial tracker<\/a>, suggests the number could be even higher, given that some companies have yet to disclose the number of people they laid off.\u00a0
\u201cSo we\u2019re seeing this kind of, like, really banner year for releases and for attention from the media and critical acclaim,\u201d said Carly Kocurek, a professor of digital humanities and media studies at the Illinois Institute of Technology. \u201cAt the same time, we\u2019re seeing people who are the people that made those games kind of get thrown out on their tails over and over again.\u201d
The industry boomed during the pandemic, when people were home and had time to play video games, according to Romero, who has been in the gaming space since 1981. But as people returned to the workplace and things like inflation tightened people\u2019s wallets, they stopped spending as much on luxury goods, which includes video games.\u00a0
In addition to reduced spending, Kelly Boudreau, an associate professor in interactive media theory and design at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, said some of the companies were already struggling when they released major titles, which meant that a financially successful game didn\u2019t necessarily translate to job security for the studio\u2019s staff.\u00a0
\u201cCritically acclaimed [games] may not be the big financial blockbusters, and that\u2019s something to think about,\u201d Boudreau said. \u201cThe other thing is there\u2019s always a boom and a bust in any industry.\u201d
Experts said it is hard to predict how this year\u2019s layoffs could impact the industry in the long term. But Boudreau and others who spoke with NBC News suggest that this year\u2019s \u201cbust\u201d of layoffs could lead to fewer standout games for a time. Major developers will likely only stick to existing properties, they predicted, meaning more remakes and sequels, and fewer new ideas.\u00a0
The breadth between the layoffs and the number of high-quality games released this year could mean that fans are largely unaware of the turmoil the gaming industry is going through, Romero said.\u00a0
Games like Baldur\u2019s Gate 3<\/a>, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Alan Wake 2 all released to rave reviews and fan acclaim. They are among the six nominees for \u201cgame of the year\u201d at The Game Awards.\u00a0
The industry also saw massive success with adaptations of games on the big screen, like HBO\u2019s \u201cThe Last of Us,\u201d which earned 24 Emmy nominations<\/a>, and Universal Pictures\u2019 \u201cThe Super Mario Bros Movie,\u201d which made $1.36 billion worldwide<\/a>. (NBC News and Universal Pictures are both owned by NBCUniversal).\u00a0\u00a0
\u201cEspecially when we\u2019re looking at record-breaking sales for some of these titles, how is that not translating down to the workforce at all?\u201d Kocurek, the Illinois Tech professor, said.\u00a0
Romero said that she and others in the industry are rooting for GTA VI to succeed \u2014 hoping that its success could be a harbinger of positive change behind the scenes of the industry.\u00a0
\u201cI hope that GTA knocks it out of the park,\u201d she said. \u201cYou know, if it knocks it out of the park, it means more jobs.\u201d
GTA VI could generate bookings of $3.5 billion at launch and an annual average of $2 billion thereafter, according to a BofA Global Research estimate from 2022<\/a>. It\u2019s not only one of the more profitable games, but it has also been the most anticipated. And the longer the wait, the more frenzied<\/a> the internet has become.\u00a0
Dozens of YouTube channels<\/a> devoted themselves to sussing out release dates. Reddit communities<\/a> scoured previous games and developer Rockstar Games\u2019 social media feeds for hints and clues about the upcoming game. A rogue gamer even stormed<\/a> the stage at the Germany-based gaming convention Gamescom, ranting about GTA VI.\u00a0
On Monday, people online<\/a> praised Rockstar for its handling of the trailer leak<\/a> by releasing it ahead of its anticipated Tuesday drop. Many appeared enthusiastic about what was teased.
“Man that\u2019s looks really freaking good,” wrote one user on X<\/a>.
Others, while excited, said 2025 felt too far away.
“2025???? (This looks unreal though)” wrote another X user<\/a>.
Some also pointed out how it was notable for the franchise to have its first female lead.
“GTA being in Vice City is sick,” wrote one X user<\/a>. “Everything looks super sick. Also a woman led GTA has been a long time coming. Cool to see that come to fruition.”
In a statement from Rockstar Games, the studio called GTA VI its “biggest, most immersive” game in the series.
\u201cGrand Theft Auto VI\u00a0continues our efforts to push the limits of what\u2019s possible in highly immersive, story-driven open-world experiences,\u201d Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games, said in the statement. \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to be able to share this new vision with players everywhere.\u201d
Like Romero, Kocurek said that the game\u2019s release will be exciting to those who work in the industry, including those who didn\u2019t have a hand in making it.\u00a0
\u201cIt\u2019s super exciting they\u2019re making another title, and it\u2019s fun even to look back at some of the older Grand Theft Autos,\u201d Kocurek said. \u201cTechnology changes and expectations change and the platform\u2019s change. But it\u2019s a big deal and it\u2019s also high stakes for everyone involved.\u201d
Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York.
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