I wish Rockstar would keep us waiting for Grand Theft Auto 6 Online.

      It's amusing to see how rapidly the perception of Grand Theft Auto 6 changed after its delay to 2026, especially following just one trailer. This appears to be a deliberate move by Rockstar, and the outcome indicates just how intense gamers’ enthusiasm for the forthcoming installment has become. The trailer felt like Rockstar was finally igniting the marketing engine for what is likely to be the most significant launch of the decade, yet one crucial element has been absent from all the trailers and promotional content, which will need addressing eventually.

      GTA Online 2 — or whatever it may be called in GTA 6 — represents the true product most players are investing in, but Rockstar has not made its rollout strategy clear. If history is any indicator, we can anticipate Online to launch a month or two after the initial release. This, along with the postponed PC release, is sure to upset many. While I won’t argue for extending the PC release beyond giving Rockstar the benefit of the doubt regarding the time needed for the port, I do believe there’s a strong argument for why having us wait for GTA Online could be advantageous.

      Stealing its own thunder

      There have been numerous reports and speculations about the time and money spent on GTA 6, but it’s safe to say this will likely be one of the most costly games ever made. While the game is expected to sell a vast number of copies at launch, it’s well-known that Online will be the main source of revenue. This is what will endure for a decade or more, continuously updated with new cosmetics, game modes, weapons, vehicles, story content, and perhaps even entirely new regions.

      Moreover, this is what most gamers will want to dive into first. As we’ve seen, players are eager to spend years racing, shooting, role-playing, and simply hanging out in Rockstar’s worlds. However, rather than fueling excitement for Online, there seems to be a deliberate emphasis on the single-player experience that highlights Rockstar's pride in its storytelling. The second trailer focused entirely on showcasing the relationship between our two main characters, introducing some supporting characters, and teasing various significant moments we will encounter. While we will need to reserve final judgment on the storyline, Rockstar has consistently demonstrated its capability for thoughtful storytelling and the development of strong, dynamic characters. This is not merely an afterthought in relation to Online.

      Just observe Rockstar’s previous titles: Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. Both games opted, whether by choice or due to technical reasons, to postpone their online releases until about a month after the launch. In the case of GTA 5, this might be the reason why players fell in love with Lamar and created memes surrounding Trevor’s chaotic antics. Although RDR2’s online component never gained the same traction as GTA Online, its narrative was touching and engaging despite being a prequel with a known outcome, thanks to the writing and performing. I can't help but wonder how many players would have bypassed most, if not all, of GTA 5’s campaign with Online enticing them right from the beginning.

      Every game is a labor of love. GTA 6 represents the culmination of millions of hours of writing, coding, modeling, testing, acting, and more. No one is obligated to purchase or play a game simply because the developers invested so much effort, but those developers shouldn’t unintentionally give players a reason to miss out. Releasing GTA Online simultaneously would feel akin to serving dinner and dessert together, expecting players to resist diving into the cake first.

      If both modes were to launch simultaneously, while some may eventually return to the single-player campaign, many might never bother if there are always levels to grind, money to earn, missions to complete, and friends to team up with for heists. GTA 6 Online is expected to feature even more hooks than GTA 5, so even those who wish to balance their time between both modes would still experience that fear of missing out as their friends unlock all the content without them. If GTA 5 is any indication, we can also anticipate a constant stream of new content to keep players continually engaged in Online. Allowing GTA 6’s story its own time in the spotlight ensures it won’t be overshadowed by the online mode.

      We've heard the unfortunate statistics about how few gamers actually complete any given game for over 15 years at this point. Back then, there were significantly fewer distractions. Today's games launch into a sea of quick dopamine hits vying for attention from every direction. GTA 6 is the current industry boogeyman that no other game dares to compete with, but it ought to be just as concerned for its single-player campaign as any other game would be.

      This decision may disappoint those purchasing the game purely for Online, but out of respect for the years of hard work from countless individuals involved, it seems inappropriate to let it be overshadowed by GTA Online at launch. It’s similar to introducing two products simultaneously; inevitably, people will