Gamers are buzzing with the confirmation that GTA VI is on its way with many begging for the series' previous protagonists to return in some capacity. Ned Luke, the voice, face and body of GTA V's Michael De Santa, took to Twitter to share a cryptic message that may tease his return in Rockstar's next title.
Quote-tweeting a post that read "We need him back one last time" alongside an image of Michael, Luke's response was a simple set of five-star emojis. It's possible that the actor will feature in Rockstar's highly anticipated title as an entirely different character, but that would be quite a shame - Michael was a fan favourite, after all.
Beloved for his performance as one of GTA V’s twisted protagonists, Ned Luke is also a prolific TV and film actor. Luke’s works include 2017’s American Gothic, Law and Order, Boardwalk Empire, and much more.
The Grand Theft Auto series has set a precedent for previous games' protagonists and supporting characters to return. In GTA V, the previous game's protagonist Niko Bellic is subtly mentioned in heist dialogue while the star of the game's Lost and Damned DLC, Johnny Klebitz, returns just to meet a swift and gruesome end at the hands of Trevor Philips.
We can only hope that Michael isn't treated as poorly as Johnny, especially since he hasn't been seen in GTA Online despite Franklin and Trevor both making appearances in the many years of content updates. Their presence more-or-less confirms that the game's third ending is canon, so the stage is set for Michael to return.
Even if Michael isn't the one to return, there are plenty of other Los Santos character that could make an appearance. Minor characters like Lazlow made the jump from GTA IV to V with others like Brucie taking voice-only roles, so we may see Michael's family or characters like Lamar make their way to the reimagined Vice City.
Luke is no stranger to the hype train, as many of his latest tweets have made subtle hints at all things GTA. The actor has also been livestreaming a playthrough of GTA V to celebrate the game's tenth anniversary, and unless anyone violates a non-disclosure agreement, we likely won't know what to expect from GTA VI until the trailer drops in December.