‘Grand Theft Auto’ Ends Its Streak Of Male Characters Playing Lead Roles

Grand Theft Auto will feature a lead female character in its upcoming sixth iteration, alongside new cities being unveiled in the game.

In a report by Bloomberg, the studio mentioned that the new character will be Latina and she will be part of a retelling of the famous real-life criminals, Bonnie and Clyde.

The original GTA game featured female playable characters. However, this is the first time in recent history, since the game switched to a 3D format, that a playable female character is being added. 

Dan Houser, the co-founder of GTA developer Rockstar, has said that a female character has been in the talks since 2013 but has never come to fruition. 

A separate Bloomberg report states how Rockstar has been trying to clean up the company and make it a more inclusive environment and gaming experience for employees and fans alike.

As part of a move towards a more progressive nature, the game stopped the release of new downloadable content called Cops ‘n’ Crooks. It was a game where players were split into cops and robbers and tried to hunt each other down. However, right before the release, the tragic killing of George Floyd took place, and the project was thankfully shelved. 

Rockstar has also made it a point not to paint marginalized groups in a bad light and to stop making these groups the butt of jokes. 

The new game was initially meant to take place in North and South America, giving fans an open-world experience and multiple cities to explore. However, due to current development constraints, the game would be set in the fictional place of ‘Vice City’. 

GTA V was released nearly a decade ago in 2013, and it would seem like fans will have to wait just a little longer for GTA VI as developers remain skeptical about a launch between April 2023 and May 2024 due to multiple changes in staffing and production.

[via Bloomberg and IGN, cover image via Rockstar Games]