Video Game Industry Veteran Declares Grand Theft Auto VI A "AAAAA Game"

Slated to release in 2026, there is little doubt that the long-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI will be the biggest release of next year. Its announcement held influence over when software was going to be released towards the end of 2025 alone. But just how much sway does Rockstar's expansive open world action game have when it comes to AAA games? According to an industry veteran, you can hot glue two extra vowels to it to quantify its value.

In an interview with IGN, Nigel Lowrie co-founder of Devolver Digital (whose publishing and developing credits include Trek to Yomi, Death's Door, and The Messenger) discussed the impact of highly anticipated software like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Grand Theft Auto VI. These games' ability to "blind" a release calendar and hold a gaming audience is something not lost on Nigel.

“I mean, there are AAA games and then there's AAAA games and I'd argue that Grand Theft Auto is potentially the AAAAA game, it's just bigger than anything else both in the scope and scale of the game and the kind of cultural impact that it has and the attention it demands,” Nigel states. Adam Lieb, the CEO of Gamesight, agrees and chimes in.

"I would say that GTA for the last year and a half has been a part of almost every conversation around launch dates I have heard," he says. "The day GTA comes out, all you can do is write stories about GTA because that's what people want to read about. There might be content creators that love your game, and wish they could play it on launch day, but sorry, dude, can't.”

Five "A"s is a little much. We've all had a laugh at the expense of Ubisoft for framing "Skull & Bones" as the world's first "AAAA game". I will be forgiven in this instance, as industry insiders and representatives are speaking in hyperbole. It trends with the many discussions that have been had about Grand Theft Auto VI. Some insiders want Rockstar to permanently change the prices of video games with GTA VI by selling it at retail for $100.

Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be pretty big. Many projections have it selling 40 million copies in its first year. Depending on the implementation of Shark Cards and GTA Online, that might be possible, even in the shadow of GTA V, which eclipsed three console generations and sold 215 million units. One of the games of a generation, indeed.

SOURCES: IGN, Gamespot