According to a new report, the PC market is the only one that has seen revenue growth over the last few years (via Newzoo). Consoles, while in decline, aren't out just yet.
There's a pseudo-exclusive coming to the console platform in the next couple of years. You might have heard of it; something called Grand Theft Auto 6 — could it be the savior?
According to this recent analysis, consoles declined by 2.1%, while Windows PC grew by 1.2% over the same time frame. It also states that GTA 6 will help consoles overtake PC by a significant margin.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is the next "winter is coming"
Grand Theft Auto 6 has become, without a doubt, the most hyped game in history. I've never seen this kind of excitement surrounding the release of a game.
Even industries beyond gaming, including Netflix, TikTok, and YouTube, are facing the peril of the juggernaut that GTA 6 is looking to be. There are only so many hours someone can devote at any one time.
If you're too busy with Grand Theft Auto 6, when are you going to doom-scroll TikTok or binge Netflix? Unless you're one of those people who dual-wields TikTok and gaming at the same time (shame on your Skibidi brain rot), you'll be locked in on GTA.
Grand Theft Auto 6 looks to save console gaming revenue
With that said, there's only one subset of platforms players will be playing on when Grand Theft Auto launches: console. Windows PC players are going to be the ones keeping YouTube alive as they watch console players plunging into the rumored two-billion-dollar creation.
If you're like some of my friends, you'll be dusting off your consoles or even running out to buy one just to play GTA 6 at launch. FOMO is real, and since Rockstar Games takes at least a year to port its games from console to PC, there are going to be thousands, if not millions, of players who won't have the patience to wait.
In turn, console revenue will see a rise. Game sales, hardware sales, online gaming subscriptions, and the inevitable Shark Card 2.0 will ravage the wallets of gamers looking to play the literal next big thing, if not the biggest of 2025.
To see just how serious an impact Grand Theft Auto 6 might have, let's look at the overall revenue GTA 5 has made. From the launch in September 2013 to the end of 2024, GTA 5 has made $9.54 billion (via TweakTown).
Dicing that up, that's $77 million monthly or $923 million yearly. Given the overall life of GTA 5, it's safe to assume that it was making over a billion dollars a year at one point.
Even if GTA 6 only matches that, it's a billion dollars exclusively from game and microtransaction sales. If you're new to the platform, you'll most likely subscribe to Game Pass or PlayStation Plus. Returning console players will re-subscribe.
The most likely outcome is that GTA 6 breaks every record we've ever seen and boosts revenue well beyond the high GTA 5 experienced. Suddenly, that $5 billion increase that Newzoo is estimating makes more sense.
I don't know about you, but I'm just happy to have an Xbox Series X. Even though I've moved on to play the majority of my games on PC through the Xbox app or Steam, I'll be spending a lot of time planted in front of my TV.
Let's just hope it doesn't cost $100 — thanks, Nintendo.
What do you think? Will Grand Theft Auto 6 cause upheaval in the gaming industry? Let me know your take below. I'm curious what everyone else thinks will happen.
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