Former Rockstar dev says keep those GTA 6 expectations in check as "technology is moving much slower," so we may not see something like the "jump" from San Andreas to GTA 4

GTA 6 male character driving a car
(Image credit: Rockstar)

One former Rockstar developer thinks we'll likely never see a technological jump like we did between GTA 2 and 3, or San Andreas and GTA 4 ever again, and suggests some prospective GTA 6 players could be a little disappointed with the upcoming game as a result.

In a recent interview with YouTube content creator SanInPlay, Obbe Vermeij – who spent almost 14 years as a technical director at Rockstar Games before his departure in 2009 – shares his thoughts on the challenge that the GTA developer would have trying to "make the same step" as it did between earlier entries in its series. Simply, he says it's "harder" because "the technology is moving much slower" than it once was. 

"Like, the difference between PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 was enormous, and PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 is not that not that big, right? So you don't really have that technology jump to make things different and better," Vermeij explains. 

It's for this reason that Vermeij suggests that GTA 6 might not be "wildly different from GTA 5," which could leave some fans disappointed. While Rockstar might be able to "pull it off" and produce something "amazing," some players' expectations "might be a little too high," he suggests.

ENTREVISTA com OBBE VERMEIJ - Ex-Desenvolvedor da Rockstar Games! (GTA San Andreas, GTA VC e Mais!) - YouTube ENTREVISTA com OBBE VERMEIJ - Ex-Desenvolvedor da Rockstar Games! (GTA San Andreas, GTA VC e Mais!) - YouTube
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"Because you can never have that jump… The jump from GTA 2 to GTA 3 was big, and from San Andreas to GTA 4 was very big. I don't think we can ever see a jump like that again," he adds.

Again, it's worth keeping in mind that Vermeij isn't involved with GTA 6 since he's not worked for the developer for so long. There's no denying that he's played a huge part in the series as a whole, though, with credits on GTA 3, 4, Vice City, San Andreas, and more, so he can certainly provide an interesting perspective on these things. 

For now though, much of what GTA 6 has in store for us is a mystery, even to the likes of Vermeij, but there's no doubt that all eyes will be on it as we get to its release in Fall 2025.

GTA: San Andreas dev says GTA 6 leaks aren't a big deal -"It's just because there are millions of people waiting for any news, and Rockstar doesn't give them any news."

Catherine Lewis
News Writer

I'm one of 12DOVE's news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.

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