GTA 6 was originally Project Americas and covered "big swaths" of country's north and south, Rockstar reveals, in interview tackling crunch, delays, and leaks

Rockstar Games has unveiled that Grand Theft Auto 6's initial codename was Project Americas. According to a comprehensive interview with Rockstar on Bloomberg, the game was envisioned to encompass extensive land in both northern and southern regions of the country. The source reveals that Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson took a team to Miami in 2015 for the game's inaugural research expedition, and Project Americas was conceived to feature vast expanses across North and South America.

However, the project was later narrowed down to Miami and its environs. The initial plan was to develop GTA 6 concurrently with Red Dead Redemption 2, but as the western project expanded, Project Americas was postponed. Following Red Dead Redemption 2's release, Rockstar's workforce nearly doubled, expanding from 2,441 to 4,711 employees across 12 offices.

Dan Houser, a co-founder and writer of previous GTA games, left the company, leading to promotions for Nelson, Aaron Garbut, and Phil Hooker. The Covid-19 pandemic further complicated development, forcing remote work and exacerbating the challenges of maintaining team cohesion. Despite these hurdles, Rockstar acknowledged the necessity for change, with Jennifer Kolbe, Rockstar's head of publishing, stating that it was a turning point for the company to reassess its approach.

The interview highlights the improvements made in managing crunch and addressing workplace issues, as evidenced by positive responses from dozens of Rockstar employees. However, Rockstar is currently facing an employment tribunal in Scotland over the termination of 34 employees, including 31 from its Rockstar North office, who claim the firings were due to union-busting.

The ongoing leaks of GTA 6 footage by the group Cyberleek were not commented on by Rockstar during the interview. Looking ahead, Rockstar aims to expedite future releases, attributing this to advancements in their engine, tools, and team built during the GTA 6 project.