Rockstar Needs to Forget Red Dead and GTA for its Next Game

Published Nov 1, 2026, 7:36 AM EST Caitlyn Taylor is a Video Game Features Writer for Collider. After switching from Computer Science to a Digital Communications-related focus at Calvin University, Caitlyn spent her post-grad diving into online journalism. While her interests initially started strictly in the video game, television, and film industry, she has branched out towards writing articles on a variety of lifestyle topics and even politics. Rockstar Games’ most anticipated title is releasing in just under a month, and yet speculation on the future of the studio has only skyrocketed. It’s rather unsurprising, since Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be the most important video game release in the modern gaming industry. Additionally, Grand Theft Auto VI’s existence is projected to negatively impact the U.S. economy through loss of workplace productivity, costing approximately $1 billion a day. So, considering Grand Theft Auto VI’s estimated 2 billion dollar budget, it's safe to say that a lot is riding on the game's success, even if many believe it to be a certifiable hit. What comes after the Grand Theft Auto VI release is another thing entirely, but that game’s success will undeniably influence Rockstar. Still, rumors persist about what Rockstar Games’ next title will be. However, seeing the trends among the current mainstream gaming audience, it might be in Rockstar Games’ best interest to have Grand Theft Auto VI's influence on future titles left to the side. Rockstar Games Has a New Hurdle To Climb Image via Rockstar Games The gaming industry and its audience have changed rapidly in the past ten years alone. Most modern games include some form of live-service features, microtransactions, free-to-play, or heavy reliance on online connectivity. It's a change that many gamers hate, and that can be easily seen in what titles turn out to be successful: AAA single-player games like Resident Evil: Requiem, but also an interesting rise in indie games like Hollow Knight: Silksong. Grand Theft Auto VI feels like a culmination of everything that makes that series so iconic and of what players want AAA single-player games to be like. Rockstar Games' next new title will no doubt be expected to be another single-player adventure. However, the massive shadow cast by Grand Theft Auto VI could very well lead to their next game being rather low-stakes. A common rumor or wish from dedicated Rockstar Games fans is for the studio to revive its other classic franchises like Max Payne and Bully. This sentiment has persisted since the beginning of Grand Theft Auto VI's development and, while understandable, especially for the older gaming crowd, old franchise revival might not be in Rockstar Games' best interest. The Debatable Firepower of Nostalgic Franchises Image via Rockstar Games Max Payne as a franchise had done relatively well for itself, with its third installment, Max Payne 3 in 2012, earning only $4 million in revenue in its first year but gradually able to eventually make its break-even goal through the help of digital storefronts like Steam. It was this slow revenue stream that caused its then publisher, Take-Two Interactive, and even certain Rockstar Games executives to consider Max Payne 3 a commercial failure. There is definitely a place for a franchise like Max Payne in the current gaming industry. Well-thought-out noir games have their niche, and the nostalgia factor will certainly give it an audience. The same can be said for Bully, a standalone Rockstar Games title that was successful in its initial PlayStation 2 era. Bully has managed to hang on relatively well in the modern gaming landscape, helped out by Steam and other online storefronts. Additionally, online content creators have also done the series a service in pushing it out to a wider audience and introducing it to a newer generation of players. Like Max Payne, Bully would also have a respectably sized audience who would definitely buy. Unfortunately, these old franchise revivals may have faced many problems, similar to what resulted from Bully 2's canceled development. Old franchise revivals are falling into a trap seen even in Hollywood. The current pop culture landscape is in an era of sequels, remakes, and reboots. While it is exciting to see the continuation of nostalgic properties under a fresh coat of paint, audiences are getting frustrated. More and more, people are craving new ideas and new titles to sink their teeth into, and for Rockstar Games, the past ten years have seen the studio deeply entrenched in franchises. Red Dead Redemption 2, despite its deserved critical acclaim, is unfortunately a sequel, and Grand Theft Auto V has had enough post-development updates that could make the game last a lifetime. Rockstar Games’ last true original IP was 2006's Table Tennis, and while LA Noire is often considered as such, they were only published by Rockstar; Team Bondi developed it. While there will be some hesitation behind the scenes at the thought of releasing a new title, new ideas will always be high-risk, high-reward for companies. Rockstar Games is long overdue for an entirely new original IP. Rockstar Games has the firepower to be able to handle the development and release of a new game and a large enough audience that'd be there day one to play it. A new Rockstar Games would not have to try and one-up a massive game like Grand Theft Auto VI, but it would still have its own hurdles to pass in the form of player expectations. New IPs May Be the Way To Go Image via 505 Games AAA games, especially ones from Rockstar, are expected to be at the cutting edge of the industry, bringing innovation in some way that hasn't been seen before. Additionally, these games will need to have a gripping narrative and engaging world and gameplay that keeps players coming back outside the main story. While significant, these are all expectations that Rockstar has fulfilled in many ways in their previous games, and a new title will be no different. So far, there hasn't been any official confirmation of a new IP from Rockstar Games. That said, rumors and leaks allege that a new IP dubbed Project Medieval​​​​​​was in development. The project seems to be exactly what it alludes to with its project title. Sources alleged that Project Medieval is either an action RPG or an open-world game that's focused on melee combat and a Medieval setting, a stark departure from Rockstar Games' previous wheelhouse. In 2025, it came out that Project Medieval existed but that it didn't see past the conceptual phase of development. Regardless, all gamers can do is speculate. The release of Grand Theft Auto VI will no doubt bleed into 2027, but after that, anything could happen. Ultimately, while there is a chance for Rockstar Games’ old franchises to make a comeback, there is also a good chance that a new IP may be in the works. However, since the release of Grand Theft Auto VI will no doubt free up space for Rockstar developers, who's to say that there isn't a possibility that there would be enough space to work on a reboot or remake alongside a new game? Only time will tell. Released November 19, 2026 ESRB Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+ Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Prequel(s) Grand Theft Auto 5 Genre(s) Action, Adventure Platform(s) PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S