While Rockstar Games has only acknowledged that it is working on Grand Theft Auto 6, the developer has yet to give fans any hints as to what the game might look or play like. Even so, excitement is very high for the next game in the open-world crime franchise, if for no other reason than because past titles have been so successful. GTA 5, for example, continues to top video game sales charts, nearly a decade after its release.
But another key component in the buzz around Grand Theft Auto 6 is the response to Red Dead Redemption 2, the title that will eventually precede GTA 6. From immersive gameplay to a rich story, RDR 2 offered players a Game of the Year caliber experience that some would argue is unlike anything else available.
RELATED: Every Grand Theft Auto 6 Rumor and Leak So Far
On top of that, Red Dead Redemption 2 has some stunningly gorgeous graphics. The game only targeted the PS4 and Xbox One generation, but it still is very impressive and oftentimes is unmistakable from real life. Then the game released on PC and through mods, Red Dead Redemption 2 was able to take things to the next level.
Lately, a Red Dead Redemption 2 Photorealistic Reshade Mod has begun resurfacing in videos on YouTube and has generated a couple hundred thousand views (as of this writing). This is by no means the first time that a photorealism mod has been shown with Red Dead Redemption 2, but it’s nonetheless impressive. And for fans of RDR 2, it shows them what is possible with a few mods and some powerful PC hardware, specifically an Nvidia 3090 GPU.
What’s fun to consider as far as Grand Theft Auto 6 is concerned is that with the new power of the PS5 and the Xbox Series X, Rockstar Games might be able to deliver visuals that match or even exceed this photorealism mod right out of the box. There’s no doubt that Grand Theft Auto 6 will look impressive when it eventually debuts – GTA 5 caught a lot of attention when the first trailer was released – but it’s a question of just how impressive the game might look.
Fans have created similar visual overhaul mods for Grand Theft Auto 5, but they are still working with an older game. Being able to push the visual limits of a game from 2013 has a lower ceiling than doing the same with a game from 2018.
Grand Theft Auto 6 has a ton of hype around it and without a single frame of gameplay being shown. Players have exhaustive wish lists of how they hope that the game improves on its predecessor and evolves the open world concept. There are also tons of rumors and speculation about what the setting might be for Grand Theft Auto 6 – a return to Vice City is near the top of the list – but there is so much more to consider with the game.
City density can be expanded exponentially thanks to the power of new consoles. Load times could be reduced to a minimum. And gameplay can be even more complex than it was in GTA 5 with switching between protagonists.
Mostly it’s just fun to consider what Grand Theft Auto 6 could look like. Open world games typically sacrifice visual fidelity for sprawling vistas and large cities, but Rockstar has proven that it’s possible to offer both. Red Dead Redemption 2 was a Game of the Year contender that featured a massive open world and some incredible visuals. Grand Theft Auto 6 should build on that reputation and push things to the next logical limit.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now.
MORE: Red Dead Redemption's Biggest Omission Makes the Games Better