Rockstar has had a rough few years. Two official delays, a social feed full of memes about the wait, and, I'd imagine, shareholders asking some difficult questions about the most expensive game ever made. Then on 27 August Netflix dropped the Extended Look, and for me it all became clear. They're delivering the very best game the world has ever seen, and they weren't prepared to rush it.
The attention to detail is mind boggling
The moment that got me was tiny, but it spoke volumes. Jason and Lucia walk into a scene and a prompt comes up: press X to hold hands. I sat there thinking about all the alternative stories that one button opens up. You can play as either of them, or both, switching mid-mission, and the choices you make shape their relationship, whether that's romantic or just partners in crime.
A bit later they walk into a drugs factory and you can interact with a dog, either giving it a fuss or telling it off. I genuinely wondered whether the dog remembers, and whether it ends up on your side when things escalate. If a trailer has me thinking about a dog's loyalty, someone in that comms team has done their job properly.
It keeps going. What Jason and Lucia eat, how much they sleep, whether they hit the gym, their haircuts and their clothes all change how they look. Even the police pay closer attention now: swap your outfit or ditch the getaway car and they respond differently.
Then there's the size of it. The map is three times bigger than Red Dead Redemption 2's, one of the rockstar developers reckons on around 80 hours for the main story, and around that you've got scuba diving, kayaking, street racing, hunting and fishing… I might just spend a few hours sampling the love, sweat and tears that the dev and creative teams have put in before I go anywhere near a mission.
They met us in another space
As someone who spends a lot of time in marketing, this was really impressive. Rockstar knows that a lot of us who grew up on GTA aren't active gamers any more. Life and kids get in the way, and we're not spending our evenings on gaming channels. So they met us in another space: Netflix, which most of us check out at least once a week. Suddenly, it’s on my radar and on my Christmas wish list.
There's also a 34-track original album with Atlantic Records made available across music streaming platforms, and the first releases take in Travis Scott, Morgan Wallen, PinkPantheress and Keith Richards, covering rap, country, pop, rock and electronic between them. Whatever music you're into, there's a reason to get excited about the release of this game.
Will the gamble pay off?
The standard edition is £69.99 and the Ultimate £89.99. Analysts are forecasting 35 to 40 million copies in the first year, and one has gone as high as 85 million in two months. GTA V is still the one to beat, with 11 million copies on day one and $1 billion in three days back in 2013. My view? GTA VI will beat all of them.
Why I'll be playing
I don't play GTA to beat people up or live out some Breaking Bad or Thelma and Louise fantasy. I play to be part of the moment. I first played GTA at a friend's house, and these days we live miles apart and barely see each other. On 19 November that changes, at least online. We'll spot each other in the lobby, catch up over headsets, and if the online world arrives, explore it like the good old days. It's a conversation only gamers get to be part of, and I've missed it.
In a world of slop and speed over craft, Rockstar stand is an example of a team holding itself accountable. People will forgive you for being late, but they'll never forgive you for being forgettable.
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