Rockstar has revealed the official box art for GTA VI, and it's very familiar, but in a good way. The game's iconic panels of stylised comic art, which set the scene and introduce the heroes and villains of the new game, have put me right back into Grand Theft Auto. It's rare for a gaming brand to wield this much power in a single image, but GTA VI is no ordinary game, and Rockstar has never been a traditional brand.
So while the box art feels familiar, purposefully so, it also makes me think GTA VI will be business as usual for the series – the same blend of high-stakes crimes, rags-to-riches storytelling, suck into a rich, compelling and sprawling world of comedic capers and weirdos. There's a nostalgic Vice City feel to the design too, which is fair considering the game is taking us back there.
The box art was revealed in a 30-second YouTube video, along with the news that pre-orders will open on 25 June on Rockstar's official Grand Theft Auto VI website.
So next week is the moment we can all put our money on the line and pre-order GTA VI, but the big question is, how much will it cost? Speculation has been rife for months, with many seeing this as the first $100 game (for a base game, no special edition). But it could also be $70- $80, which feels more in line with where things are headed. It's been rumoured that Grand Theft Auto VI has cost between $1 billion and $2 billion to make, over a 10-11-year development cycle. That huge development cost needs to be clawed back.
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