Fans of Frank Ocean and the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) franchise have one thing in common: they are professional players of The Waiting Game. With the former’s last album release in 2016 and GTA V’s in 2013, fans have created a plethora of viral internet jokes about how they continue to wait. But what if waiting is actually for the better?
Delayed gratification is a self-control practice about waiting for a guaranteed future reward instead of a much smaller one in the present. As people, we have been wired to favour instant gratification; it is easier, faster, and our brains think it is more satisfying. This is parallel to how many industries work, most evidently in entertainment. The easiest and most profitable option is usually chosen in place of high quality. As frustrating (and unprofitable) as it might be to wait years for your favourite artist’s next album, the waiting might actually be worth it.
The reason Frank Ocean and Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise have managed to create a cult following that is willing to wait an indefinite amount of time is because of their past work. Both have created a portfolio of past work that gives them credibility – their fans are certain that their future work will be worth the wait. Delayed gratification works when the person practising it knows that the reward is certain and will be valuable. Both Frank Ocean and Rockstar Games know this. Throughout the years of their absence, both have offered teasers of their projects. This hooks any fans that may be losing hope and maintains excitement for those who are disciplined in their game of waiting.
The reception that is received when Ocean’s music snippets or GTA trailers are released is proof that people understand good art takes time. Both generate a large amount of buzz online. In 2023, the first GTA VI trailer broke the record for YouTube’s most-viewed trailer launch of all-time with more than 93 million views in 24 hours. Similarly, in 2025, a snippet of music from Frank Ocean surpassed 4.5 million views on TikTok alone.
GTA VI’s many delays have mainly been the result of pandemic constraints and a sought-after “perfection”, according to Rockstar’s parent company’s CEO Strauss Zelnick. Furthermore, the existing GTA catalogue still brings in an astounding amount of profit, consistently putting the games on lists for bestsellers each year. The same can be said for Frank Ocean whose last album, Blonde, celebrated 450 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart in 2025. This obviously makes the waiting easier – their past work has lasting power and keeps fans occupied enough to keep them waiting.
They would not receive such a reception if they did not have their existing portfolio. While the world moves towards a more fast-paced, profit-driven format for art, these entities show that good art will always be more valuable and profitable in the long-run. Quality art is the tortoise and commerce is the hare.
From Drake releasing three albums in one day to Netflix dumping a full season of episodes all at once, instant gratification has become the name of the game in entertainment. Although it feels good in the moment, as soon as it is over, the realisation hits that the series that releases one episode a week was more gripping and offered something to consistently look forward to.
Economics and psychology both refer to the scarcity principle: the idea that people assign higher value to things that are difficult to obtain. In a landscape of entities that treat art like a profit machine that needs to be working 24/7, Frank Ocean and GTA are incredibly valuable in reminding us that waiting is not a punishment. It is a gift that will keep giving when the time is right.
