Video Games | Jun 19, 2016 04:39 PM EDT

'Grand Theft Auto 6' News And Rumors: Rockstar Taking Its Time, Will Release Game In 2018? [VIDEO]

By Peter de Jesus

Fans of the Grand Theft Auto franchise might end up doing some more waiting, as Rockstar Games did not even make it to the 2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). Thus, though speculations were high that the developer would unveil a new GTA or Red Dead Redemption game at E3 2016, Rockstar seems to be intent on keeping things to itself, at least for now.

The absence of Rockstar in E3 was not unexpected at all, with the developer previously stating that it is focusing on delivering fewer games that are of high quality than numerous games that are substandard. Considering the wildly popular franchises that have come out of the developer, such as the GTA and Red Dead franchise, this notion seems to be very accurate indeed.

Thus, with Rockstar seemingly taking its time in the development of its biggest titles, rumors have emerged stating that the next Grand Theft Auto game, tentatively titled GTA 6, would probably see a 2018 release. This means that the game would probably be unveiled next year, possibly during the 2017 E3 as well.

With this said, speculations about the content of the upcoming flagship GTA game are currently running very high. For one, fans of the franchise are predicting that the next game would probably feature the most unique protagonists to date. One particular rumor that has been very persistent so far states that the next GTA game would finally feature a female protagonist.

Other popular speculations about the upcoming GTA 6 game state that the setting for the upcoming title would not be in a reimagined United States anymore. Rather, the game might very well be set in a different country, such as London or Tokyo.

For now, however, Rockstar and GTA publisher Take-Two Interactive seem to be focusing on what they do best--making great games even better. In terms of the Grand Theft Auto franchise, this seems to translate to the developer keeping GTA Online well-oiled and well-supported for the foreseeable future.