Rockstar Games, right? They sure entered the holiday mood! The firm has sent out a tweet declaring that a holiday gift will be given to every GTA Online player. You would be able to get a luxurious and costly helicopter from Elitás Travel, which is absolutely free. The helicopter is said to be fantastic and of top quality but very pricey in the game; thus, you may still say that free things are good things. However, if you believe the gamers will be thankful and will say, “oh, thanks, Rockstar, this is just for you,” then you could not be more wrong. The response was…
Let us take a closer look. Rockstar has published a rather jolly photo of the helicopter and has also provided a link for claiming it. The reactions started going crazy almost at once. One common thought seemed to bond the entire comment section and it just shouted ‘GTA 6!!!!!’ A multitude of comments, each and every one of them was in the same desperate tone but expressed differently. ‘We want GTA 6.’ ‘Where are the GTA 6 photos?’ ‘Doing everything but not GTA 6.’ One user called ViceCityVibes accurately described the situation, saying: ‘These companies will always talk about anything else but GTA VI.’ This is like the digital equivalent of getting socks instead of a new console for Christmas for the kid.
Some gamers had a very difficult time dealing with the timing issue. They started doing arithmetic right away after the tweet was up. User ‘gaming_icing’ mentioned, ‘GTA 6 screenshots in 1 hour? Same as gta 4 & 5?’ referring to past Rockstar traditions of revealing info an hour after a tease. Moreover, gamers like ‘TheRealSam3835’ were asking, ‘Pls Post trailer 3 in 59 minutes pls pls pls for christmas.’ The hope was so strong that the disappointment that came after was even stronger. ‘narnleton’ said, ‘Welp, there goes any hope of screenshots. Left with the bitter taste of the delay until next year,’ and it was quite sad…
The situation was not exclusively about the next series installment; however, the comments of the other users confirmed the awkwardness further. One of the users, named ‘SHAYTGAMES’, made a funny comment: ‘You almost gave me a heart attack, Rockstar,’ he/she was probably imagining the notification of something bigger. Another one, ‘AGuyWhoTweet5,’ just questioned the visual appeal: ‘Why does this look AI?’ And along with that, the ‘TomasJager’ who was the only one and already tired of the subject seemed to get the point, ‘Thank God this post has nothing to do with GTA 6!!!! Thank you R!’ A real exception in a vast ocean of desire.
This whole situation illustrates an amusing if not bizarre dynamic between Rockstar and the player community at this moment. On one hand, they are still giving away Christmas presents for the online game that is their constant support for an already over ten years old game. That’s excellent! A free helicopter! On the other hand, the elephant in the room is so huge that it is literally breaking the furniture. The hype surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI is at its peak and every single communication from Rockstar that is not about that is receiving ridicule, impatience, and an unquenchable thirst for information in return.
Some reactions were more analytical or perhaps just cynical. ‘VK_PrimeX’ speculated, ‘Rockstar knows the rule free first → loyalty forever. Give players a helicopter and they’ll keep flying back. Welcome to GTA Online psychology.’ While ‘taicunoficial,’ replying to another user’s comment said: ‘The old Rockstar Games from 2012 is not the same as today, the present one is just a corporate shitshow that has no regard for its fans.’ That is pretty serious, but you can tell that a lot of gamers think this way and that they are the ones who believe the company is only making money on online games, and thus, they are not delivering the next major title.
So, what does the holiday matter indicate? Rockstar has given a gift, but it was not what any one wished for. The Buckingham SuperVolito Carbon is a classy additional gift for players who still enjoy the game; it is a nice surprise that is in keeping with the holiday spirit to upgrade your virtual hangar.
However, for the vast majority who are very vocal and on Twitter, it was just another indication of what they are not going to get. The helicopter will be available until December 30th, so if that is your thing, just log in and take it. It is already free! But the collective reaction clearly shows: what would actually make this holiday period for gamers is just a leak about Vice City or whatever Rockstar has planned. The comment section will remain a graveyard of excited uneasiness. Many fans are eagerly awaiting news on their PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
