Rockstar Games initially planned to develop Grand Theft Auto 6 concurrently with Red Dead Redemption 2, a strategy that would have led to an earlier release for the highly anticipated title. This revelation comes from a recent Bloomberg report detailing the development of GTA 6.
According to Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson, the ambition behind Red Dead Redemption 2 necessitated an all-hands-on-deck approach, leading to GTA 6 being placed on hold. However, Nelson noted that the advancements made for Red Dead would ultimately benefit GTA 6's development, a sentiment that appears to have proven true given the shared systems and ideas between the two games, including NPC interaction.
Had GTA 6 remained on its initial development track alongside Red Dead 2, it is plausible that the game could have been released in the early 2020s. This contrasts with the 2025 window that Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, has publicly provided. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick reportedly expressed disbelief when informed of the game's delays.
Jennifer Kolbe, Rockstar's head of publishing, recounted calling Zelnick to explain the need for more time. "I think he said, ‘You’re kidding. Please tell me you’re kidding,’" Kolbe told Bloomberg, acknowledging their fortune in having a reasonable executive who understood the necessity of avoiding rushed releases, a situation many development teams face.
Bloomberg's report clarifies that GTA 6 was not in active development since shortly after GTA 5's 2013 release, but planning and research began much earlier than previously understood. Teams and leadership at Rockstar were reportedly exploring concepts for GTA 6 as far back as 2014, with research trips to Florida taking place in the mid to late 2010s.
The narrative structure for GTA 6 reportedly did not solidify until late 2019, a year after Red Dead 2's launch. Even then, the development team required additional time to fully conceptualize the game's scope. Rockstar has since committed to a faster development cycle for future projects, citing organizational changes and lessons learned from GTA 6's lengthy production.
GTA 6's development was marked by significant challenges, including the studio doubling in size, multiple data leaks, and productivity impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Rockstar has implemented operational changes it expects will streamline future game development, though the nature of its next project remains undisclosed. Fans are speculating about potential sequels like Red Dead 3 or entirely new intellectual properties, but Rockstar has indicated that its next game will not require an eight-year development period.