[GTA6] Three Months Until Launch... Korean and Global Game Companies Jockey for Position [NC]

As the launch of Rockstar Games' highly anticipated title "Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6," expected to shake up the global console market this fall, draws just three months away, both domestic and international game companies are scrambling to avoid direct competition with this blockbuster title.

GTA 6. Provided by Rockstar Games

According to the gaming industry on August 18, game distributor Deep Silver announced that it will postpone the release date of King Art Games' new title "Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4," originally set for September 17, to December 3. The official reason given for the delay is "incorporating playtest feedback and improving quality." Industry insiders interpret this as a strategic move to enhance the game's polish, taking into account the launch of "GTA6," which is scheduled for November 19.

GTA is an immensely popular gaming intellectual property (IP), with cumulative global sales exceeding 470 million copies. Its predecessor, "GTA5," achieved the highest revenue of all time among all media content worldwide after its release. With "GTA6" arriving 13 years after the previous installment, anticipation is understandably high.

Previously, Microsoft (MS) Xbox Game Studios announced that the release window for its upcoming title "Fable" would be pushed from the second half of this year to early next year. As the Xbox Chief Content Officer referred to the launch of "GTA6" as the biggest event of the year, this move is seen as an effort to avoid direct head-to-head competition. Meanwhile, the latest installment in the first-person shooter (FPS) series "Call of Duty," titled "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4," is set for release ahead of "GTA6," on October 23.

Korean game companies are also adjusting their schedules in response to the "GTA6" release date. During a recent earnings conference call, NC co-CEO Park Byungmu stated, "We have around ten titles set to launch from the second half of this year through next year. It looks like we'll be launching almost every month." He added, "Given that 'GTA6' is scheduled for November, we're fine-tuning our schedule to identify the optimal release window." Domestic titles that could potentially overlap with the launch of "GTA6" include NC's "Cinder City," Kakao Games' "ArcheAge Chronicle" and "God Save Birmingham," as well as Netmarble's "Project Evilbane."

Meanwhile, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two Interactive, said in a conference call earlier this month that "initial pre-orders for 'GTA6' are at an astonishing level," adding, "Demand is especially high for the higher-priced premium editions." Market research firm Sensor Tower reported that 89% of all pre-order customers have opted for the $100 Ultimate Edition.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.