Rockstar has just announced the release of Grand Theft Auto Online for the Xbox One. The open-world crime simulator will be available to players in 4K on the Xbox One X on October 18th. You’ll be able to join up with an existing character or create a new one to begin your criminal career. You can steal cars, trucks, and other vehicles to perform daring robberies. Then, you can sell the vehicles you steal for huge profits.
The Good Old Days
The announcement of Grand Theft Auto Online for the Xbox One comes as a bit of a surprise. The last time we heard of a game based on the popular series being on the platform was way back in 2013 when the Nintendo Wii U was released. Since then, we’ve heard very little about the franchise on the video game console. Why has Rockstar decided to bring GTA back? There are a few reasons why.
First, The Series Has Never Been Limited To One Platform
Even though the Nintendo Wii U was the only official console that the Grand Theft Auto series appeared on, it did not stop developers from creating fan games for other platforms. There were various attempts to bring the series to the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and other consoles. However, these were all fan games, which means they were created without the approval of Rockstar.
But all of that changed with the release of Grand Theft Auto V, which was the first official game in the series to appear on the PlayStation 4. And this game turned out to be one of the best-selling titles of all time. In terms of sales, it currently holds the 13th position on the all-time list of best-selling video game franchises. This made it a perfect candidate for an Xbox One version.
Second, The Game Has A Large Following
Even now, more than six years after the release of Grand Theft Auto V, the series continues to grow in popularity. Why? It’s because of the open world structure of the game, which gives you the freedom to roam around and explore the city of Los Angeles. The series also features an eclectic mix of characters, which led to it being described as a comic book series come to life.
Now that the series is available on the Xbox One, it has the potential to bring in a lot of revenue. Especially since the Xbox One has a large audience in comparison to the Nintendo Switch. This makes the platform a great fit for a game like this. Since the game is free to play, microtransactions are not necessary. This, in turn, could lead to greater revenue from ads and special offers. So, not only is the game suitable for audiences on different platforms, it could also bring in greater revenue.
Finally, The Series Brings In Revenues From All Over The World
Let’s be honest, not every game is going to be released on all platforms. And when one is, it’s generally because the developer wants to tailor the experience for the dominant platform. But that’s not the case here. As we’ve seen, Rockstar can create games that are designed for the PlayStation 4, which is what we’re likely to see in this case.
Even though there is no information yet regarding prices or how the microtransactions will work, one thing is for sure. The Grand Theft Auto series is here to stay.