The first GTA VI trailer is here but when is the next one? Some fans have asked this question already. After many years of speculation and anticipation, Grand Theft Auto VI was formally announced along with a trailer. The excitement went viral and it has broken several world records plus reached incredible feats.
Whilst the trailer showcased almost 90 seconds of pure game footage, it has not been enough for those starved from a decade of waiting. Rockstar Games also went out and said from the get go this is “Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1“. Some fans have taken this as a second trailer is closer than we think.
However, we need to analyse Rockstar’s past marketing of games for patterns. Rockstar are notorious for being predictable yet unpredictable; it just depends on what they want to do.
Past game marketing
GTA IV was announced in June 2006 then the first trailer crashed Rockstar’s site when it released on March 29th 2007. It took almost a year between its announcement and the iconic “Things Will Be Different” Trailer 1. The second trailer went live 3 months later. Two more trailers were posted at the end of 2007 and in March 2008.
GTA V took a slightly different approach. The game was announced in late October 2011 with the iconic first trailer releasing a week later. It took 12 months to get trailer 2 however. The third trailer that was split into three parts came out five months later. A gameplay showcase video dropped three months after that, which was also three months before launch. Another trailer came out a couple of weeks pre-release. From announcement to release, it was an almost 2 year wait.
Changing focus to Red Dead Redemption, the first trailer came out on May 6th 2009. A second trailer dropped November that year. The game came out in May 2010. Its sequel was announced in October 2016 with a trailer closely following it. It took 11 months until we got the second trailer for the game. The third trailer came out in May 2018 with Red Dead 2 releasing in October. From announcement to release, it was a 2 year wait.
The take away from these four headline Rockstar Games titles is that there can be up to a year wait for a second trailer. Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, have expected big money in and around April 2025.
If Rockstar were to release the game in early 2025, a second trailer in December 2024 could be considered quite late. It would only give them a few months that include the Christmas holiday to roll out their full marketing. L.A Noire had its first trailer in November 2010 with a second trailer out in January 2011. The game came out in May that year. Max Payne 3 had a similar cycle from 2011 through 2012.
Considering delays
One factor that could play into this are previous delays for games. For larger games such as GTA V and Red Dead 2, they were set to release earlier than they did but delays pushed them back about a year. 2025 for GTA VI seems like they have factored in previous delays. Many wanted GTA VI out in 2024 but inevitably a delay until 2025 makes sense given the past.
Our take is that if the game is to release in early spring 2025, a second trailer 12 months from now seems quite late. Rockstar have released plenty of trailers late in summer or around October and November. This might be the next window for Trailer 2. Again, that is if the game releases earlier in 2025. If it is a late 2025 release then getting that second trailer in November/December isn’t out of the question. 2024 might seem like a long year for some fans as they watch Trailer 1 on repeat.
Do you think Rockstar Games will stick to a similar plan or do something different? Let us know down in the comments section.
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