Rockstar's Houser explains decision to keep GTA5 current-gen
We’re expecting to be merely months away from the unveiling of the PS4 and Xbox 720 next-gen gaming consoles. So why have Rockstar kept Grand Theft Auto 5, due for release next spring, on current generation hardware?
Speaking to Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, Rockstar’s head Dan Houser revealed the thinking behind the decision to launch the game on PS3 and Xbox 360.
“Rockstar is a content company, not a hardware company. We use the technology we have to create content, and we try not to let ourselves get beholden to the hardware. The fact that hardware’s so mature right now is exactly why we’re able to go on to the next level,” Houser told Famitsu.
“Grand Theft Auto 4 was our first attempt at a new platform and HD visuals, so the first part of development was seriously difficult. Now we know what the hardware’s capable of so it’s become a lot easier to move things along and a lot more fun, too. GTA: San Andreas came out at the peak of the PlayStation 2’s cycle and we put out a really good game thanks to that.
“All the best games for a console come out at the end of the lifecycle, right? So now’s the best timing of all.”
Of course, Houser doesn’t mention the fact that both consoles, now in their twilight years, have massive installed user bases. It’s a safe bet putting GTA V out on tried-and-tested platforms, rather than working away on a game for unreleased hardware that could yet prove a flop.
We’re expecting a brand new GTA V trailer to land this afternoon. We’ll be sure to share it with you once it becomes available.
Via: Eurogamer
