How GTA 6 Can Pay Homage to the Franchise's Earliest Games

It is clear to see why the expectations surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6 are so high, with fans having waited over a decade for the next installment of the massively popular franchise. Each subsequent game in the series has done a lot to further the scope and scale of its predecessor, with fans expecting the upcoming release to offer a level of gameplay that they have never seen before.

While Grand Theft Auto 6 is inevitably going to draw a lot of comparisons to 2013's GTA 5, it is important to note just how long the franchise has been popular and culturally significant, with Grand Theft Auto finding its roots all the way back in 1997. A growing disconnect is present between the classic top-down Grand Theft Auto titles and the newer 3D franchise entries, with newer fans of the IP not necessarily being aware of GTA's rich history. This is something that should not be lost in Grand Theft Auto 6, and Rockstar is presented with the perfect opportunity to pay its respects to the games that started it all in the upcoming release.

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By Kyle Knight

Grand Theft Auto 6 Can Bolster its Gameplay Even Further with a Smart Nod to the Original Games

The Grand Theft Auto franchise began in 1997 as a top-down open-world game, with the IP drawing notoriety for its violent and high-octane gameplay from the very outset. As to be expected, these earlier GTA titles were much more arcade-like in nature, with the player having to rack up points by causing chaos and destruction alongside completing missions to unlock new playable areas. It was these first entries to the franchise that introduced iconic locations like Liberty City, Vice City, and San Andreas, with expansions even taking the series to London and Manchester.

These classic GTA titles are assigned to the "2D Universe" of the franchise, which is narratively removed from the third-person games that would follow them. In all, the 2D Universe includes the original Grand Theft Auto, GTA: London 1969, GTA: London 1961, and Grand Theft Auto 2, with 2001's Grand Theft Auto 3 ushering in a new era of gameplay that would go on to define most of the franchise's success.

GTA is now renowned for its third-person gameplay and strong story elements thanks to GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, GTA 4, and GTA 5, but it seems important that the legacy of the original 2D games is still carried forward. Of course, the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 will take the size and ambition of GTA's 3D formula to brand-new heights, and if anything, this fosters a great environment for a proper tribute to be paid to the classic 2D games of the series.

GTA 6 Could Take In-Game Arcades to the Next Level By Featuring the Original Titles

GTA 6 should feature arcade cabinets across Vice City that allow fans to play the original 2D titles, or at least portions of them. This could even see players fight against each other on online leaderboards for high scores, being an excellent way to give newer fans their first taste of the classic franchise while showcasing just how far Grand Theft Auto has come as a franchise.

Other longstanding and influential gaming franchises often allow players to access gameplay snippets of their most classic titles, with the likes of modern DOOM and Wolfenstein offering secret original levels for players to access. The Grand Theft Auto franchise has earned the right to be named among the most culturally significant and successful gaming IPs in existence, and this fact should be celebrated with arcade additions to GTA 6 that put the classic 2D experiences back in the spotlight.

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