rockstar always blows past my expectations, even when i try to keep them in check

I've been playing GTA since III dropped when I was 15. Back then I had zero expectations, just picked it up because the box looked cool. That game rewired my brain. Then Vice City came and somehow topped it. San Andreas after that? Forget it. The jump in scope between those three was unreal.

By the time GTA IV rolled around I thought I knew what to expect. Massive expectations, and it still blew me away. Going back to Liberty City with that level of detail, plus both DLCs being nearly perfect, that's rare. GTA V is probably my least favorite in the series and it still completely floored me with the size, the missions, the characters. Even my least favorite GTA is one of the best games I've ever played.

RDR2 was the one where I really drank the Kool-Aid. I overhyped myself for years. Watched every trailer a hundred times. And when it finally came out I was still shocked at how good it was. I underestimated it. That's the part that gets me. No matter how high I set the bar, Rockstar clears it and then some.

So now with GTA 6 I'm trying to be reasonable. Everyone says keep expectations low in this era of gaming. But how do you do that with Rockstar? I've seen the trailers, I've seen the extended look, and I'm already imagining stuff they haven't even shown. And my brain keeps telling me they'll still surprise me with things I never thought to want.

I'm not going to dig into any more previews or breakdowns. I want to go in as fresh as possible. But I also know that whatever I'm picturing right now, the real thing will probably be better. That's just what they do.

What's the one thing you're most hyped about that you think Rockstar will still outdo?

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Source: r/GTA6 · Curated content.