Mike Ybarra, the former president of Blizzard, has weighed in on the speculation surrounding the release date of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6). Fans have been trying to narrow down the launch window, with some suggesting that the upcoming release of Borderlands 4 in September might conflict with GTA 6. However, Ybarra dismissed this notion on Twitter. He stated, “GTA 6 is the king. They don’t care who announces what. Everyone will move their release out of the way whenever they announce the ship date for GTA 6. It is really the only game that has the power to do this today.”
When a commenter suggested that Take-Two Interactive, the publisher responsible for both GTA and Borderlands, would benefit from spacing out the release dates of their major titles, Ybarra firmly disagreed. He emphasized, “Borderlands 4 doesn’t matter. Rockstar is controlled by no one, including their publisher.”
Rockstar sets its own terms
Take-Two publishes both GTA and Borderlands, so it would seem counterintuitive for the company to have two major games competing for attention in the same period. However, as Ybarra pointed out, Rockstar operates independently. The ongoing success of GTA Online likely allows Rockstar the freedom to set its own terms.
Ybarra’s comments suggest that Borderlands 4’s launch date should not be taken as an indicator of when GTA 6 might be released. The gaming community must wait for Rockstar’s official announcement, which could change if the company decides the game needs more refinement. It’s been reported that publishers are holding off on announcing their own game release dates until Rockstar reveals when GTA 6 will launch to avoid direct competition.
One commenter notes, “We only have so much money, we can’t buy every game. If GTA 6 really is $100, people might not be able to buy another game for a while.”
In conclusion, while fans eagerly await news about GTA 6’s release, Ybarra’s insights suggest that the launch plans of other games, even those from the same publisher, will not influence Rockstar. The gaming giant will likely announce the release date on its own terms, and other publishers will have to adjust their plans accordingly.
