Grand Theft Auto Vwas the bestselling game on the PlayStation 3. It was also the bestselling game for the PlayStation 4. And, as improbable as it might seem, it could top thePlayStation 5when all is said and done.

Sony’s decision to lead off its PS5 unveiling with a seven-year-old game baffled some people. Whyshow off the future by spotlighting the past? The simple answer is: In this case, the past was (and still is) just too big to ignore.

GTA Vis not only the bestselling game of all time, it’s the highest-grossing entertainment property. And thanks to the robust addition ofGTA Online, it’s a title that continues to evolve and attract players.

“It’s by no means a traditional game,” says P.J. McNealy, CEO of Digital World Research. “This is the new world for mega franchises. This is reliable revenue on an ongoing basis with in-game purchases, and it’s a vibrant world that every other developer wishes they’d developed.”

GTA Vstarted as a single-player game and that component is still a popular part of the game, but the growth ofGTA Onlinehas transformed the franchise into something that’s more akin toFortnite, a multiplayer title that constantly evolves and offers all sorts of ways for players to explore (and spend).

Including the remastered/expanded version ofGTA Von the PS5 (and, without doubt, on theXbox Series X) was, in many ways, a given. Hardcore gamers — the whales of the industry — will be the first to buy new consoles, and Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive Software wanted to be sure they could still easily playGTA Online.

“Take-Two wants to migrate those players over to the new consoles, because they know that over time, the number of players on the PS4 and Xbox One is going to shrink, so they need to get people moved over to the PS5 as early as possible,” says Eric Handler, an analyst with MKM Partners.

The bigger question is: How will Rockstar and Take-Two drive new players to the game? In May, the Premium Edition ofGTA Vwas given away for free on the Epic Games Store, with demand so strong thatit overwhelmed the servers. Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two told Digital Trends in May that he believed it was a blend of current owners and newcomers to the franchise who took advantage of that offer.

McNealy says he expects the publisher to move more toward giving away the game to help build theGTA Onlineaudience. Handler, though, notes that the PS5 offer for a free stand-alone version ofGTA Onlineis only a three-month promotion. What happens beyond that is still to be determined. It’s certainly possible that players will be required to buy a copy of the base game to continue playing — something that might annoy some players, but if they’re emotionally invested in the game at that point after three months, something they’ll do.

Handler also says a remaster ofRed Dead Redemption 2is likely on the way as well.

“As Take-Two wants to keep itsGTA Onlinegame an evergreen property it would seem logical to assume the same scenario holds true forRed Dead Online,” he says.

The other big question: Is all of thisGTA Vactivity the start of a slow-burn marketing campaign forGrand Theft Auto VI? Rockstar, per usual, has been silent about its next project, though it’swidely assumedto be the next installment in the series.

If that’s true, Handler says it won’t be out anytime soon. Launching a title that big — and that critical to the publisher’s financial health — isn’t something a third-party game maker would do at a system’s launch.

“I think the next installment in the series is being worked on,” he says. “But you’re not going put it out when the installed base of the next-gen consoles is so low. You want to get a critical mass so you’re able to sell 20 million copies.”

McNealy, though, says he doubts Rockstar will release a sixth stand-alone version of the series — or, if so, no time soon.

“You can keep iterating theGTA Vbase for quite a while and it’s highly profitable,” he says. “The economics are just different today. …Call of Dutyhas been measured as a franchise as something that can generate over $1 billion in the first month of its release. ButGTAhas changed the thinking of how valuable a franchise can be as a service instead of just as a seasonal game or annual franchise.”