As the anticipation continues to build for more news on Grand Theft Auto 6 following the release of Trailer 1 in 2023, a former Rockstar developer has voiced a unique perspective on the marketing strategy. Obbe Vermeij, who served as a technical director at Rockstar until 2008, suggested that he would not release any additional trailers before the game's launch.

Rockstar released GTA 6 Trailer 1 to record-breaking viewership in December 2023, and since then, the community has been left without further assets. This prolonged wait has fueled a variety of conspiracy theories about the release of GTA 6 Trailer 2. Fans have scrutinized elements like counting the holes in Lucia’s cell door net, the bullet holes in the car from Trailer 1, and even registration plates. Among these, the ongoing "moon watch" conspiracy gained attention for accurately predicting the announcement date of Trailer 1, although it was debunked as a hint at the release date for Trailer 2.

However, Vermeij expressed his view on Twitter, stating, “If it was my call I wouldn’t release any additional trailers. There is more than enough hype around VI and the element of surprise is going to make the release only bigger as an event.” In response to a user suggesting Rockstar might announce the GTA 6 release date without further trailers, Vermeij called it "a boss move."

The naming of the first trailer as GTA 6 Trailer 1 implies more trailers are planned, yet Vermeij's comments suggest that Rockstar might opt for a different approach. He referenced the delay of GTA 4 in July 2007, three months before its intended October release, hinting that a similar "decision day" for GTA 6 might occur around Take-Two's August earnings report.

99 Details in the GTA 6 Trailer - Slideshow

View 51 ImagesIn a March interview with Bloomberg, Zelnick discussed the secrecy around GTA 6's release date, emphasizing the unprecedented level of anticipation and the strategic approach to marketing. “The anticipation for that title may be the greatest anticipation I’ve ever seen for an entertainment property," he said. "And I’ve been around the block a few times and I’ve been in every entertainment business there is. We want to maintain the anticipation and the excitement. And we do have competitors who will describe their release schedule for years in advance. And we found that the better thing to do is to provide marketing materials relatively close to the release window in order to create that excitement on the one hand and balance the excitement with unmet anticipation. We don’t always get it exactly right, but that’s what we are trying to do.”

Mike York, a former animator at Rockstar New England who contributed to GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, shared insights on his YouTube channel. He suggested that Rockstar is intentionally fueling conspiracy theories by maintaining silence about the game and the release of Trailer 2. “They're reaching and pulling and trying to come up with these really cool theories to decipher when the next trailer will be,” he explained. “Specifically Rockstar, they're very secretive about what they do, and this is a really cool tactic because it creates allure and it creates mystery and it creates people talking about it without them having to do anything. The more they're silent the better it is, because the more people will be antsy and want to talk about it and have this feeling of not knowing what's going to happen.”

Zelnick's comments suggest that GTA 6 Trailer 2, if it is forthcoming, might not be released until we are closer to the game’s release date in fall 2025, assuming no delays occur. As fans eagerly await further developments, they can explore IGN’s coverage on topics such as an ex-Rockstar dev's prediction about potential delays until May 2025, Zelnick’s thoughts on the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6, and whether the PS5 Pro can run GTA 6 at 60 frames per second.