Summary
- Rockstar Games is known for its single-player games. It has dabbled in co-op a few times, but no one would think of Rockstar's games as traditional co-op games.
- It is believed that Grand Theft Auto 6 will feature two protagonists influenced by Bonnie and Clyde, necessitating the need for a main story with traditional co-op missions.
- If implemented, GTA 6's co-op mode would need to be more substantial than the company's smaller attempts, featuring meaningful gameplay and storytelling for both characters.
- If done well, Rockstar could step away from its single-player legacy for a moment and leave its mark on the co-op world.
Although GTA Online is a massive success, Rockstar has long been known for its high-quality single-player adventures. The company used to dabble in other types of games, such as Midnight Club, but its reputation for quality most likely leads many fans to say Red Dead, Grand Theft Auto, Bully, or perhaps even L.A. Noire when they hear the company's name mentioned. Obviously, those first two are even likelier given the ongoing popularity of Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. A lot of its big names have never really dabbled in traditional co-op for its story modes, but Grand Theft Auto 6 could change that.
Of course, this is discounting online modes like GTA Online and Red Dead Online, and that's not saying Rockstar has never done anything with co-op. Players could do mini-games with others in Bully, but not the story. Players could do co-op in San Andreas, but Player 2 was effectively nobody. The Warriors featured it, while rumors were that Max Payne 3 almost had a co-op game. There's no denying that Rockstar is not name-dropped in conjunction with traditional co-op gameplay. Instead, Rockstar has long been known for its innovations in single-player games, but Grand Theft Auto 6 could very well impact that legacy and see Rockstar innovate on the co-op genre.
Why Grand Theft Auto 6 Could Have a Co-Op Story Mode
It's worth mentioning that there are plenty of Grand Theft Auto 6 rumors out there, most of which are not worth their salt. However, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier has reported on its size and scope a few times, going as far as to call its main story influenced by Bonnie and Clyde robbers duo. Many have interpreted this as two protagonists for Grand Theft Auto 6, one male and one female, and this is supported by the infamous GTA 6 early gameplay leaks. There are even details regarding the female protagonist being a latina woman named Lucia, with there being other rumors that the male character is named Jason.
Either way, it's notable that there seem to be two protagonists for Grand Theft Auto 6. Bonnie and Clyde were partners in crime, and assuming that connection exists, then it stands to reason players will be robbing banks, committing heists, and so forth with both characters at the same time. Now, there are plenty of single-player games out there with AI companions, like Kratos and Atreus or Joel and Ellie, but that establishes a clear hierarchy. If GTA 6 does feature Bonnie and Clyde-like protagonists, then that hierarchy cannot exist. Instead, it seems likely that players will be able to switch between them as needed on the fly. Otherwise, there would be no core difference between GTA 6's duo protagonists and GTA 5' s trio of protagonists, given the distinct, often separate storytelling of the latter.
However, if telling a combined story where players can switch between both is indeed an option, it would not be a stretch to expect GTA 6's main story mode to feature co-op. And the entire set-up would suggest that the two players could work together within the confines of true co-op. It wouldn't be something whimsical or as big as GTA Online, it would need to not just be mini-games like Bully, and each character would need to matter (as the set-up implies they do) unlike San Andreas. Of course, this is just speculation, but GTA 6 could be time for Rockstar to make its mark in the world of traditional co-op, just as it has single-player games.
That carries an inherent risk. It's not uncommon to see developers of all shapes and sizes struggle when they move outside their comfort zone, so it remains to be seen how Rockstar could innovate and puts its name in this area. However, risk is all part of the creative process, and in that regard, no one should really worry about Rockstar Games' in-development Grand Theft Auto 6.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development.