‘GTA VI’ breaks the Internet: What UAE gamers are most excited about

"Rockstar will break the internet," said thousands of netizens ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI's highly-anticipated trailer release.

And it happened. Internet broke (not in the way you think), and so did the records.

Funnily enough, the game's trailer leaked just past midnight in the UAE, a day prior to the actual release date of December 5. Rockstar (if one were to guess their mood from the tweet's tone), sounding awfully disappointed, wrote: "Our trailer has leaked, so please watch the real thing on YouTube."

However, fans loved their response as well as the trailer. It remains #3 on trending in the UAE, garnering over 118 million views in just two days, surpassing its predecessor's (GTA V) all-time views in a few minutes.

Set to the Tom Petty song Love Is A Long Road, which has now received a massive streaming boost on music platform Spotify, the sensational GTA VI trailer kicks off in Vice City, reminiscent of Miami, with the release of Lucia, a charismatic female character, from a prison, setting the tone for an electrifying narrative. In a quirky twist, an alligator nonchalantly strolls into a corner store, adding a dash of Floridian flair. The trailer's audacious scenes include a daring rooftop twerking session and glimpses of the classic GTA chaos – police raids, wild car crashes, and underground car stunt spectacles known as "sideshows" in reality.

Amidst the adrenaline-pumping snippets, the spotlight falls on Lucia, who, near the trailer's finale, imparts sage advice to her male partner in crime: "The only way we are going to get through this is by sticking together, being a team."

The duo, armed with pistols and faces concealed by bandanas, bursts into a store, leaving fans buzzing with excitement for the game, featuring GTA's inaugural playable female character. That, in particular, has set the gaming community abuzz with anticipation.

"Witnessing inclusivity take centre stage in the gaming industry, particularly within such a prominent title like GTA, is truly empowering," said a UAE-based video gamer and streamer who goes by the name BunnyGirlZenpai. "Amidst the challenges of breaking away from traditional gender stereotypes in video games, I am eager to observe how GTA has approached this matter. It's a significant step forward, and I look forward to the positive impact it can have on shaping more diverse and representative narratives in the gaming landscape."

The events of the trailer are not the only commendable aspects of GTA. A strikingly evident improvement in the graphics has also caught viewers eyes. Surely, many, just like BunnyGirlZenpai, are looking forward to discovering what the game has in store, especially regarding missions and vehicle customisation.

"As a streamer, I'm especially eager to explore the game's secrets, uncovering hidden easter eggs alongside my chat," she says, reflecting on how the game's predecessor GTA V holds a special place in her heart.

"I am keen to see the new mechanics and the gameplay come to life in GTA VI," said another UAE-based gaming influencer Bisher Zumot. "The game we all have been playing for years is now getting a massive upgrade and I just want to get my hands on it."

Recalling the time he spent playing GTA Online, Bibi added: "GTA V has shaped a major impact on roleplaying in games and I recall being on stream and creating content on the game where my friends and I would run free in the virtual world and build a community online with the viewers. We have witnessed the game's growth through the years and I am confident GTA VI will be as successful, in fact more than its predecessor."

The adoration for GTA has been a rollercoaster ride, with the last installment hitting the gaming scene a decade ago in 2013. GTA V, the crown jewel in the series, boasts an astounding 190 million copies sold, as reported by Rockstar-parent Take-Two Interactive. This gaming titan not only clinched the title of the best-selling game in the US over the past decade but achieved this feat in both unit and dollar sales.

Zooming out to capture the grandeur of the entire GTA franchise, which includes iconic titles like Vice City and San Andreas, the collective sales skyrocket to a colossal 410 million units, as tallied by Take-Two.

And now, with a budget exceeding $2 billion, the release of GTA VI is anticipated to be the largest game launch in history. "The trailer highlights Rockstar's ability to engage their fan base," says Joe Abboud, a commercial manager in a UAE-based gaming company. "I expect nothing short of an exceptional gaming environment for players to fully immerse themselves in, and Rockstar consistently lives up to expectations."

The only buzzkill? GTA VI releases in 2025.

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• Entertainment
• UAE