Why Grand Theft Auto VI Took 8+ Years to Make

Summary

Jason Schreier says Grand Theft Auto VI took so long because its development was repeatedly redirected, its creative vision took years to settle, and Rockstar was building an unusually detailed game while changing how it managed its workforce.

• A long runway before full production: Rockstar began exploring the project around 2015, initially under the code name Project Americas, with plans that once included parts of North and South America. Most staff were then shifted to Red Dead Redemption 2, whose ambitious realism required more resources. Schreier says substantial GTA VI development began around 2019, with the central story—a Bonnie-and-Clyde-inspired tale starring Jason and Lucia—taking shape by that year’s end.
• Finding the game’s direction: Developers had to decide how much of Red Dead 2’s realism to carry into GTA. Even seemingly simple interactions, such as buying something in a store, raised questions about balancing realistic systems with convenience and fun. The vision remained unsettled for several years; Schreier says the 2023 trailer helped align the team by showing what the game was becoming.
• Pandemic and production challenges: COVID disrupted early development and remote work, adding time to many large games. Rockstar also faced communication and decision-making challenges as the project grew, including perceptions among some staff that three development heads sometimes made conflicting decisions. Schreier notes that leadership did not identify one single cause for the delays, but rather many moving pieces and features finishing at different times.
• Unusually ambitious detail: Schreier describes systems built to make the world feel convincing, including nightclubs with individually modeled NPCs, coordinated lighting and music, and characters who sweat differently depending on their activity. He says the scale of this work—and the studio’s roughly doubled workforce—made the game exceptionally expensive, though Rockstar did not disclose its budget. It said the cost was below the reported $1.5 billion price of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
• Changes to workplace culture: After criticism of crunch during Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar said it wanted to avoid repeating that experience. It tightened scheduling, removed some managers accused of abusive behavior, and introduced time off in lieu for overtime. Schreier says he heard of some crunch on GTA VI, but it did not appear to be as widespread as on earlier projects.
• Security policies and controversy: Following a major 2022 leak of unfinished gameplay, Rockstar strengthened security and required employees to work in offices five days a week, with no remote access to work devices. Schreier says many staff found the policy especially difficult for caregiving and other personal responsibilities. Further leaks in recent weeks intensified frustration among employees who felt the restrictions had not prevented leaks.
• Delays and labor dispute: Rockstar first announced a 2025 release, then pushed the game to May and later to November. Schreier says executives told him they believed the initial date when they announced it, though some staff were skeptical. He also notes an ongoing dispute over 34 fired employees: Rockstar accused them of misconduct involving leaks, while the workers say they were dismissed for union activity. The matter was in litigation at the time of the video.
• Why the team’s experience matters: Schreier argues that Rockstar’s long-standing teams have an advantage because they have shipped games together for years and developed shared ways of communicating and making decisions. The company says the engine, tools, and production systems built for GTA VI should help it create future content more quickly.

Presenters and contributors

• Presenter: Jason Schreier
• Contributors and people quoted or discussed: Rob Nelson, Jonathan Ashcroft, Jen Kolbe, Aaron Garbut, Phil Hooker, and Strauss Zelnick