Beyond AAA: Industry Veteran Declares Grand Theft Auto 6 a “AAAAA Game,” Leaving Skull and Bones in the Dust

The term “AAA” has long been the gold standard for high-budget, blockbuster video games. But in a move that has set the gaming world buzzing, a prominent industry veteran has declared that Rockstar Games’ upcoming opus, Grand Theft Auto 6, is set to create an entirely new tier: the “AAAAA game.” This bold claim, made by Devolver Digital co-founder Nigel Lowrie, is a direct challenge to the industry’s current classification and a subtle jab at Ubisoft’s widely ridiculed attempt to label Skull and Bones as a “AAAA” title. According to Lowrie, GTA 6 is in a league of its own, so vast in its scale, budget, and cultural impact that it requires an extra “A” to properly describe it.

The Evolution of a Term

The term “AAA” emerged in the late 1990s as a way to distinguish games with massive development and marketing budgets. It’s an informal but widely understood label. The introduction of the “AAAA” term, however, has been less successful. Ubisoft’s decision to brand its long-in-development pirate game, Skull and Bones, as a “AAAA” title was met with widespread mockery, especially after the game’s release was plagued by a number of issues and its commercial performance was disappointing. The label was seen as a desperate attempt to justify a bloated budget and a long development cycle, rather than a genuine reflection of the game’s quality.

Devolver Digital, a company known for its irreverent and often satirical approach, is now taking this a step further. In a recent interview, Lowrie stated, “I mean, there are AAA games and then there’s AAAA games, and I’d argue that Grand Theft Auto is potentially the AAAAA game.” He explained that the franchise is “just bigger than anything else both in the scope and scale of the game and the kind of cultural impact that it has and the attention it demands.” This is a key distinction. While Skull and Bones was an attempt to market a specific product, GTA 6 is an event that has already been a part of industry-wide conversations for years, affecting the release schedules of other major titles and even genres that have nothing to do with it.

The Impact of a “AAAAA” Release

Lowrie’s comments highlight a reality that has been a quiet undercurrent in the industry for years. The sheer magnitude of a new Grand Theft Auto title is so immense that it acts as a black cloud looming over every other game. As Adam Lieb, the CEO of the marketing platform Gamesight, pointed out, “The GTA 6 effect” has been a factor in almost every conversation he’s had about launch dates for the past year and a half. This is a game that is expected to generate record-breaking revenue and sell tens of millions of copies in its first few months alone. It’s a user-generated content platform, a cultural phenomenon, and a technical marvel all rolled into one. The game is so large that it competes with titles outside of its genre and, in some cases, outside of gaming entirely.

For smaller studios, and even for major publishers, this is a difficult truth to face. The looming release of GTA 6 on May 26, 2026, has forced many companies to either delay their own titles or simply accept that they will be completely overshadowed. The “AAAAA” label, while a bit of a joke, is a powerful and very real reflection of a game that has transcended the traditional boundaries of the industry. It’s no longer just a high-budget project; it’s a global event. While Skull and Bones was an attempt to create a new category, GTA 6 is an organic phenomenon that has already done it, and its impact will be felt long after its release. For now, the message is clear: the gaming world is about to be redefined, and it’s time for the industry to find a few more A’s to describe what’s coming next.

The industry’s marketing strategies are about to be put to the ultimate test, and the only game that seems safe from the fallout is the one that’s causing it.