Rockstar finally announced that it has a sequel for Grand Theft Auto V cooking, and that’s a good reason to celebrate. GTA V is commonly seen as one of the best games ever made. It’s the crown jewel for Rockstar, and a sequel for the game, which was released in 2013, is something fans have looked forward to for more than five years.

But more important than GTA V is its multiplayer counterpart, Grand Theft Auto Online. The game is a cash cow for both Rockstar and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive. And the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, whether it’s named GTA 6 or something else, will be a turning point for GTA Online. The massively popular online Grand Theft Auto title will have to change to suit whatever GTA 6 ends up being, and that change has to come with players in mind first.

That’s a huge deal considering how much GTA Online has continued to grow. According to Take-Two Interactive’s 2021 annual report, the company saw a jump in consumer spending for GTA Online of 31%. That’s all for Shark Cards, which give players more of GTA Online‘s in-game currency. These sales are nothing but profit for Take-Two.

For Rockstar, this is all potentially a bigger deal than releasing GTA 6. That game will, inevitably, sell millions of copies. That’s practically written in stone at this point, considering how massively popular Grand Theft Auto is as a franchise. And while the company can expect GTA Online to continue growing with the game’s launch, Rockstar has a commitment to fulfill for current players.

GTA Online will almost certainly be changing with GTA 6‘s release. The game will move to a new place, look different, and feel different because it has to. It can’t be disconnected from GTA 6, since it would just ruin the game’s longevity as it begins to truly show its age. However GTA Online inevitably ends up changing to fit GTA 6, Rockstar needs to ensure that players can follow along as well, without any hassle.