GTA Online in GTA V changed the game entirely for Rockstar and they realized they could make oodles of money off it. I'd say we would have seen GTA VI come out

GTA Online in GTA V changed the game entirely for Rockstar and they realized they could make oodles of money off it. I'd say we would have seen GTA VI come out in ~2018 had it not been for online, and we would have seen a couple of single player DLC's too. I don't think GTA V was originally intended to have such an expansive online component and they just had to keep duct taping shit to make it all work because it was a cash cow. Now I think the reason GTA VI is taking so long is they are trying to get the online "framework" right so they can push content for the next decade.