We might not have to wait 13 years for the next GTA

Rockstar Games might not have to endure a 13-year wait for the next Grand Theft Auto game. Technical lead Phil Hooker revealed during Bloomberg's extensive report on the creation of GTA VI that the "engine, the tools, and the team we've developed during this project will enable us to expedite the process." The previous gap between GTA V and VI spanned eight years, resulting in a 13-year lull.

However, the report suggests that the one-year interval between Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was feasible due to the pre-existing framework Rockstar had for their subsequent project. Hooker expressed confidence in building upon the established foundation of GTA VI and creating more captivating content. Furthermore, the report disclosed that Rockstar constructed a dedicated studio to address the challenge of producing nonplayable characters (NPCs) after realizing their existing team lacked the necessary production capabilities.

This development contributed to the game's delay. Hooker noted that while they could adhere to the schedule, the final product might not align with their original vision. Additionally, the game reportedly didn't exceed a budget of $1.5 billion, dispelling the notion that it was more expensive than the Burj Khalifa. Rockstar's head of development, Aaron Garbut, reacted to a massive GTA VI leak in 2022, describing it as "like they're inside your head," emphasizing the emotional distress of having early work exposed to the public.

Since 2018, Rockstar's workforce has grown from 2,441 to 4,711 across 12 offices. GTA VI is set to launch on November 19th for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S.