Når man tænker på sandkassespil i et moderne miljø, hvor man kan plyndre, skyde og rive veje op efter forgodtbefindende, er det svært ikke straks at tænke på GTA. Rockstars franchise er genrens ubestridte gigant, og alligevel har vi ikke set nogen reel udfordrer tage kampen op - selv med hele 13 år mellem hovedudgivelserne. Saints Row synes forsvundet for altid, Sleeping Dogs har sine trofaste fans, men var et engangstilfælde, og Watch Dogs-franchisen virker efterhånden hensovet.
Rockstar-veteranen og tidligere GTA-tekniske direktør Obbe Vermeij mener dog, at der faktisk er plads til en ny udfordrer. "I would actually say there's an opportunity because it really is just GTA and everybody else has given up," sagde han til Games Hub. "I think from a business point of view it is tricky now but the games are so spaced out and I don't know if they're going to do another Red Dead Redemption after GTA VI but there is going to be at least an eight year gap."
"I would say that's an opportunity but I think everybody's kind of terrified of going against GTA," fortsatte han. "It's a big investment, of course, and doing it, starting a new franchise, is so difficult. That's what Leslie [Benzies] kind of bumped up against. People don't know your game and it's very easy for people to just walk away from it if there's the slightest thing wrong with it. Is it going to happen? I don't know but I think there's an opportunity."
Om nogen rent faktisk tør tage handsken op og udfordre Grand Theft Auto, må tiden vise. Én ting er dog sikkert: næste år er næppe det oplagte tidspunkt, når alle blikke allerede er rettet mod GTA VI.
