'GTA VI' release date, news, rumors: Next installment delayed to 2018 due to larger game content?

There will be a lot of pressure from the fans when Rockstar Games has finally started working on the next "Grand Theft Auto" installment. For one, the current game title, "Grand Theft Auto V," is enjoying huge success in terms of reviews among the players and number of copies sold. Making "Grand Theft Auto VI" an even more thrilling and exciting game compared to its predecessor will be very challenging for Rockstar.

To note, Rockstar Games has not yet confirmed that "Grand Theft Auto VI" will happen anytime soon. However, according to iTech Post, the next installment will be released in the near future. Expecting a new entry in the franchise is not a surprising news after all, as the "Grand Theft Auto" series is so successful that a new installment is definitely warranted.

Earlier rumors suggested that "Grand Theft Auto VI" will be released sometime next year. However, Yibada reported that the next installment is more likely to be released in 2018 instead of getting a 2017 release date. This is due to the planned large map for "Grand Theft Auto VI." It is rumored that the map of the next installment will include the locations from the previous "GTA" titles, and it will take more time for Rockstar to make this happen.

Aside from an expansive map for "Grand Theft Auto VI," there will be a lot of firsts in the next installment that the fans should watch out for. One of these is the possibility of featuring a female lead character for the first time in the series, Know Your Mobile reported. Many fans noticed that the previous titles lacked strong female leads, and it is possible that Rockstar will change the course of the game with the introduction of a female lead character for "Grand Theft Auto VI." Also, Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser also stated earlier that the game studio is open to the possibility of introducing a lead female persona in one of their future game projects.

"In the future, could we do a game with a lead female character? Of course. We just haven't found the right game for it yet, but it's one of the things we always think about," said Houser.