‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ Features First Female Protagonist Since 2000

It has seemingly been confirmed that ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’, the next entry in the massive blockbuster franchise that is confirmed to be in development, will break the mould of its predecessors by having a female protagonist for the very first time. As part of a larger report from Bloomberg investigating Rockstar Games’ changing workplace attitudes, it was confirmed that the game will feature a duo of protagonists reminiscent of real-life criminal couple Bonnie and Clyde.

Looking back at the history of the Grand Theft Auto series and its protagonists, ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ has the potential for huge success by switching up the formula. 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V was the first entry since the Game Boy Color release of Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999) not to include a solo protagonist, and its trio of charismatic criminals went down extremely well with fans and critics alike.

However, with the reveal that ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ will feature a Latina female protagonist alongside the unannounced male protagonist, this does raise the question of how Rockstar Games will handle such representation. The franchise is well-known for its stereotypical portrayals of characters, but the Bloomberg report states that the developer is actively trying to limit its harmful stereotypes and not include as many jokes that punch down at marginalised groups.

The only female protagonists prior to the upcoming ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ are in the original Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2, both of which featured a variety of protagonists to choose from but did not have much of an effect on the game in general. Over twenty years later, a lot has changed at Rockstar Games, and the reintroduction of a female protagonist in a mainstream Grand Theft Auto title is a big win for increased diversity in the AAA games industry.

For more Grand Theft Auto content on Goomba Stomp, check out our piece on why Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most important games of the past decade, and why Grand Theft Auto IV renewed our love of video games as a medium.