The Grand Theft Auto series could be described as the world's most popular video game franchise. The most recent version, GTA 5, was released in 2013 and has sold more than 200 million copies.
GTA 5 is often described as one of the best video games ever made and fans remain active players today even though it is now more than ten years old. Its undoubted success also means there is huge interest in what follows.
In December 2023, Rockstar confirmed plans to launch GTA 6 with an exciting trailer that shows off advancements and provides a glimpse of the new game's size and scope.
While fans anticipate its release, expected to be autumn 2025, Strauss Zelnick, the chief executive of Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two interactive, has already teased the seventh instalment in the series. During the TD Cowen annual tech conference, Zelnick was asked: “I know we’re not even at GTA 6 yet, but thinking about …” to which he replied “GTA 7?”
Zelnick’s comment is not confirmation, but it does reinforce what the chief executive has previously said about reducing the time fans have to wait between new versions. The gap between GTA 5 and GTA 6 is on course to be 12 years.
While the gaming world is excited for more news about GTA, we have looked at other games that reached their seventh instalment and how they were received.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
The final instalment in Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear series was released in 2015. Despite being credited as the fifth game, discounting some earlier iterations that are only slightly connected to the Metal Gear universe, The Phantom Pain is counted as the seventh mainline game in the series that began with Metal Gear Solid in 1998.
An open-world action-adventure game, it offers a lot of freedom to approach missions in different ways, using stealth or all-out action for example. It also introduces a new feature called the Fulton Recovery System, letting players extract enemies and resources.
The Phantom Pain was the last collaboration between Japanese gaming auteur Kojima and Konami. After a number of disagreements, Kojima was dismissed from the Konami before the game was completed, with many fans recognising the parts that were finished after his dismissal.
Despite a troubled development, The Phantom Pain is praised for its detailed story, graphics and sound. While fans of the series are conflicted due to Kojima’s unceremonious exit, The Phantom Pain still holds a special place in gaming history.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
The Resident Evil series had suffered a popularity slowdown by the time the sixth game was released. An increase in action gameplay at the expense of horror turned many fans away in the process.
In the seventh game, the series returns to its horror roots. Taking inspiration from the popularity of the cancelled Silent Hills game by Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro, it is played from a first-person perspective, a change to all previous Resident Evil games.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard takes players to a creepy plantation in Louisiana as the main character tries to escape a deranged family. The game focuses on atmospheric horror, puzzles and resource management.
The new instalment has been applauded for bringing back scares and the intensity of early Resident Evil games. It's a favourite among horror fans for its immersive experience, especially when played in virtual reality.
Gran Turismo 7
The seventh instalment in Polyphony Digital's renowned racing simulation series offers players an authentic racing experience like no other in the genre. Released in 2022, it builds on the franchise's legacy while introducing new features and improvements.
The game has an extensive line-up of accurately recreated cars from various manufacturers, each with its own unique handling characteristics and performance attributes. Players can customise their vehicles to suit their preferences, from tweaking engine settings to fine-tuning aerodynamics.
Gran Turismo 7 features a diverse selection of real-world tracks, ranging from iconic circuits like Circuit de la Sarthe to challenging street courses set in urban environments. Players can compete in high-speed races, endurance events, or time trials, offering a wide range of challenges to test skills.
The popularity of the series was catapulted last year by a film adapted from the experience of the playing the games. Titled Gran Turismo, the film follows the story of real life gamer-turner-racer Jann Mardenborough who, after playing Gran Turismo his whole life, is selected to take part in a programme to turn the best players into racing car drivers.
The film and its story cemented Gran Turismo's reputation as the most accurate and faithful driving simulator series out there.
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight (Wednesday), BeIN Sports
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
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HAJJAN
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Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm
Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm
About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
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The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD v SOUTH AFRICA
Aaron Finch (capt), Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa
LIKELY TEAMS
South Africa
Faf du Plessis (captain), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Lungi Ngidi.
India (from)
Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
