Twitch CEO Dan Clancy expects Grand Theft Auto VI to be the biggest event his platform has seen. Preview report In an interview with Bloomberg during the Tokyo Game Show, published on September 18, he said he hasn't seen anything comparable in his seven years as CEO for the level of anticipation ahead of a launch.
Clancy said GTA 6 will spike Twitch's overall viewership meaningfully, though he admitted he has no idea by how much. He expects the attention to last well into January, and said it's smart for other publishers to release their big games in October or wait until the GTA 6 frenzy cools.
The multiplayer comment
The part fans noticed most was about online play. Clancy said Twitch has spent a lot of time talking with Rockstar about its plans and how to involve streamers. He then said the launch would bring a big bump, followed by an even bigger one next year when Rockstar launches multiplayer.
Treat that timing with care. Rumor / leak Rockstar and Take-Two have not announced when GTA 6's online mode will arrive. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has only confirmed that the game launches on November 19 as a single-player experience, with no online mode at release. Clancy's remark came from a partner who has been briefed, not from Rockstar, and he gave no date.
Why Twitch cares so much
GTA V is still one of the most watched games on Twitch, largely thanks to roleplay servers where streamers play characters such as police officers and criminals. Clancy expects GTA 6 to bring back viewers who haven't used Twitch in a while, and an online mode would give roleplay communities a new home.