Grand Theft Autois one of the video game industry’s most famous and impactful series, withGrand Theft Auto 5alone being one of the most profitable works of entertainment in history. A sixth installment seems inevitable considering the series’ everlasting popularity, but Rockstar seems to be taking it easy with the development of this installment. This is especially jarring after makingthe solid “3D trilogy”in addition toGrand Theft Auto 4throughout the 2000s. DespiteGrand Theft Auto 5’s pseudo-monopoly on Rockstar’s time during the 2010s, the famedGrand Theft Auto 6is finally confirmed to be in development.
Grand Theft Auto 6theories have been around for a while, and there are several things to expect now that Rockstar has provided players with an idea of what modern iterations of the series should be like withGrand Theft Auto 5. However, despite the expectations that have been established for over a decade, there is still room for innovation.Grand Theft Auto 6does not need to be a repeat of its predecessor, and it can start differentiating itself by finally having an in-depth character customization system that goes beyond what the older games offered.
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Avatars and Independent GTA Protagonists
TheGrand Theft Autoseries has almost always told stories with “independent” protagonists. They might be the characters the player controls and their actions are entirely reliant on what the player wants to do, but their thoughts, goals, and personality traits are separate from what the player thinks.Claude fromGrand Theft Auto 3and theGrand Theft Auto Onlineprotagonist are the exceptions, with the former being a silent protagonist and the latter being exclusive to online modes.
ForGrand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar should aim high when it comes to the game’s protagonist, and not just in terms of writing. While having a consistent appearance is good for official art and marketing, the game’s character customization option should strive to go beyond what sandbox games, let alone the games in this very series, offer. In recent years, people have been criticizingGrand Theft Autofor its historic lack of female protagonists. Considering the current climate regarding demographical diversity, Rockstar will probably attempt to write a story around a woman criminal, regardless of whetherGrand Theft Auto 6has one protagonist or a posse of them like inGTA 5.
One of the easiest ways to implement that would be by introducing a more complex character customization system.Grand Theft Auto Onlinealready started a potential pattern, though there are some flaws in that mode’s system. For one, physical appearance is dependent on a pair of “ancestors” that the player picks, whereas other character customization systems, especially in RPGs likeSouth Park: The Stick of TruthandDark Souls, have mechanics that are as meticulous as possible. Combined with the lack of fully customizable clothing, especially regarding color palettes,Grand Theft Auto Online’s avatar system is full of missed potential.
In an ironic twist of fate,Grand Theft Auto 6should strive to be more likeSaints Row, another series that is making a comeback. A franchise that originally started as a blatantGrand Theft Autoclone,Saints Rowmanaged to usurp the franchise that always overshadowed it in the realm of character customization. While the player character’s personality remains the same, everything about their appearance, from the size of their body parts to the color of their hair and skin, can be fully customized. ASaints Rowprotagonist can look like an ordinary human with eccentric aesthetics, or an entirely alien being in addition to having the player’s preferred gender.Grand Theft Auto 6should embrace these possibilities.
TheupcomingSaints Rowis revealedto have the most in-depth character customization the series has ever seen. This shows that sandbox games, or other genres with independently written protagonists, can still allow players to design their avatar as they see fit. Rockstar should not just aim to outdo its own series in the customization department, but to be the best in both its genre and the medium as a whole.
