Former GTA 6 developer believes open-world games suffer from one critical issue. Even Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed Shadows isn’t free from this.

It’s fair to say that Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) is one of the most anticipated games of the decade. Developer Rockstar Games gave the player base its first look at the game back in December 2023. While it’s been 455 days since any major news on the game, fans are still excited.

Just like its predecessors, GTA 6 will be an open-world game that would be set in the fictional state of Lenoida, inspired by Florida. Open-world games are all the hype these days as more and more developers are adopting the formula. However, one former Rockstar developer is critical of one open-world design issue that even Assassin’s Creed Shadows failed to escape.

Former GTA 6 developer on open-world game issues

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

While speaking at the Game Developers Conference, as reported by PC Gamer, former GTA 6 and Red Dead Online game designer Cameron Williams opened up about the current state of open-world games.

These games feature breathtaking worlds that are filled with quests, landmarks, and other aspects, but gamers often stick to the main mission as they feel overwhelmed.

According to Williams, the lack of exploration by players is due to the focus on action-heavy gameplay, time investment, and the rising dominance of live-service games. Players know what to do in games but don’t want to explore due to tons of choices and branching paths.

Or, [your game has] a huge time investment and it’s hard for players to pick up and put down, which is an increasing challenge, especially with the sort of evolving ecosystem of free-to-play and live service games that are kind of eating everyone’s time and attention

Williams states that it’s these issues that lead to “open world fatigue”; there’s no motivation to explore the huge world. If you think about it, the former GTA 6 developer does have a point.

Open-world fatigue is a real problem simply because of the fact that in-game worlds are getting bigger and have tons of markers around players. This is causing something that’s called analysis paralysis, which one can easily spot in Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Games.

Take a close look at Origins, Odyssey, and even the latest Shadows; they’re all huge open worlds with big maps that are filled with markers on the map that show gamers what they can explore. While some in the community appreciate the adventure, most players don’t bother as it’s simply too tiring or isn’t rewarding enough.

We could see GTA 6‘s second trailer soon

Rockstar Games’ silence on the second trailer for GTA 6 has led to fans theorizing when it could arrive. You’ll be shocked to know that one of the most popular theories suggested that Rockstar Games was teasing the release date for the trailer via moon phases, as seen in promotional images for Grand Theft Auto Online. Of course, this wild theory didn’t materialize in the end.

However, it seems like we finally have a credible theory. According to GTA VI O’Clock, which consists of reputable journalists and creators within the GTA community, GTA 6‘s second trailer might drop in April. In the team’s newsletter, GTA VI O’Clock talked about the wait between the first and second trailer.

According to the team, Rockstar Games’ marketing campaign for its games usually begins six months before the release. This indicates a late March or early April release date for the title’s next trailer. GTA VI O’Clock has a “credible tip-off” that claims that the second trailer will, in fact, be released in April.

Since it’s been so long since we’ve heard anything new about GTA 6, many fans believe that a delay might be on the cards. However, Rockstar Games’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive, has reaffirmed that the title is still set to launch in Fall 2025.

With that said, do you believe the developers of the former GTA 6 commented on open-world fatigue in video games? Let us know in the comments below.