GTA 6 Online Tipped for MMORPG Evolution, Developer Hints — A High-Risk Direction

The hype behind Grand Theft Auto 6 is already distorting the games industry's calendar. Few releases in history have had such a buzz behind.

The sequel's shifting launch window has reportedly forced studios of all sizes to rethink schedules, budgets and even survival strategies. Given that Grand Theft Auto 5 remains the second best-selling video game of all time, the hype is widely seen as justified, if deeply inconvenient for rivals.

What has surprised observers, however, is the latest direction the conversation has taken. Rather than yet another debate about delays or sales records, GTA 6 is now being linked to the long-struggling MMORPG genre.

Industry Veteran Hints at MMORPG Crossover

That connection emerged following comments from industry veteran Rich Vogel, whose résumé spans Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies and more recent live-service projects, suggesting Rockstar's next online world could evolve far beyond traditional GTA Online.

Vogel's remarks have injected a new layer of buzz into an already overheated discourse. While Rockstar Games has shared almost nothing beyond the setting and protagonists, the idea that GTA 6 Online could edge toward MMORPG territory raises both promise and significant risks for a studio that already dominates the live-service space.

In an exclusive interview with WCCFTech about the state of Western-developed MMORPGs, Rich Vogel argued that demand for the genre has not disappeared, but investment appetite has.

He pointed to enduring player bases across titles such as World of Warcraft, Star Wars: The Old Republic and The Elder Scrolls Online as proof of a latent audience waiting for a new experience.

'Yes, I believe a large audience is waiting for the right MMORPG to emerge,' Vogel said. 'The problem is that no publisher is willing to invest the money and take the risk at this time.'

He added that his instinct was that the next major MMORPG would likely come from Asia or Europe, before introducing a caveat that caught attention: 'If what I have been hearing about GTA 6's features and gameplay is true, it could evolve into an MMORPG, as many of its planned features are typically found in MMORPGs.'

Vogel also acknowledged that this was second-hand information and firmly in the realm of rumour.

He did not work on GTA 6, and there has been no confirmation from Rockstar. Nonetheless, the suggestion aligns with broader trends already visible in the franchise's evolution.

Why GTA Online is Already Halfway There

GTA 5 marked a decisive shift away from the more limited, session-based multiplayer of GTA 4, introducing a persistent online world that grew into one of the most profitable entertainment platforms ever created.

Its success was so overwhelming that it effectively replaced traditional single-player expansions, with narrative content folded into GTA Online instead. To this day, GTA Online receives major content updates.

A further signal came in August 2023, when Rockstar acquired Cfx.re, the team behind FiveM. That community-driven modification transformed GTA 5's multiplayer by introducing dedicated servers, dramatically higher player counts, and structured role-playing careers ranging from paramedics to police officers.

At its peak, FiveM reportedly surpassed the concurrent player count of standard GTA Online on Steam and became a major driver of GTA's dominance on Twitch.

Whether this represents a bold evolution or an overreach remains to be seen. Rockstar is expected to stay silent for months yet, but if these rumours hold water, GTA 6 Online could redefine not just the franchise but also expectations for Western live-service games as a whole.