Rockstar are a company well known for holding games until the right moments. Even though the recent trilogy collection didn't go down too well, their last two outings have been met by some of the highest praise in the gaming world.
Needless to say, tonnes of fans are looking forward to Grand Theft Auto 6. A look through the company's recent taxes may point to something huge for the upcoming game. Here's what we know so far.
Rockstar's Tax Credit
As shown in this report by Tax Watch UK, Rockstar filed for £56,684,144 in VGTR, otherwise known as Video Games Tax Relief. This is a tax relief programme introduced by the UK government in 2014 in order to incentivise the growth of British games.
Companies can claim an extra percentage of qualifying expenditure, intended to incentivise spending. Essentially, the more Rockstar spends, the more they will benefit in their taxes, pushing for greater growth of the company.
The company is currently one year behind in their reporting of taxes, according to Tax Watch, so this is just what they claimed in 2020. Up until this point, it is the largest VGTR they have ever claimed, behind five times what they claimed in 2017.
Given Red Dead Redemption 2 launched in 2018 and that fund has only grown, this suggests the further development of other projects. In total, between 2016 to 2020, they have claimed £136,605,015 in VGTR - a monumental figure.
What does this mean for Grand Theft Auto 6?
Although this could mean nothing, it more than likely points to much bigger development costs. We know that Rockstar put out Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition late last year but this doesn't account for that huge increase.
It seems much more likely that this is a sign the company is working on something big. With the release of Grand Theft Auto 5 being almost a decade ago, now is a pretty great time to come out with something new.
We have heard rumblings of a Bully remake or sequel, alongside some other smaller projects, but this seems like the safest option for the company to make.
There is tonnes of hype out there for Grand Theft Auto 6 out there and Rockstar knows it. Why not just show us what they're working on?
Why Rockstar may be holding out on us
The issue with having your business funded in the public eye is that public perception can kill your productivity and cash flow. One mediocre trailer could do tonnes of damage to the team and company.
This being said, holding out too long can also damage the company. People were very upset to see yet another reveal of Grand Theft Auto 5 and the rehashing of the trilogy was met by a lukewarm reception at best.
Although it makes sense for Rockstar to hold the trailer until they are really ready to show the game, just acknowledging it would be a great start.