In a new report from Bloomberg, it’s claimed that Rockstar has spent the last few years overhauling their workplace culture. Due to this re-organization and a number of factors including the pandemic, development on Grand Theft Auto 6 has been slower than anticipated.
According to the report, after the success of Grand Theft Auto 5, hundreds of employees spoke out about the difficult work conditions within Rockstar. The culture was described by one employee as a “boys club” that was full of drinking, fighting, crunch, and worse.
Since then, Rockstar has aimed to reinvent itself. There has been a large restructuring with some troublesome leadership having been let go. The Design Department has been restructured as well and many contractors have been brought on as full-time employees. With that in mind, what does the development of GTA6 look like? And with Grand Theft Auto acting as a satire of the United States, what does that look like in 2022 given “American already being a satire of itself.”
Here are the details of what to expect from GTA6 as it stands today:
- The map will be a fictional version of Miami and its surrounding areas.
- The game will grow over time including new missions and cities.
- One of the main protagonists will be a Latina female – the first female lead in an Grand Theft Auto title. They’re said to be influenced by Bonnie & Clyde.
- Release is currently targeting 2K’s fiscal year 2024 (April 2023 – March 2024) but according to developers the title is a minimum of two years away.
Our Take
It’s promising to hear of the culture changes at Rockstar. It goes without saying that they sounded long overdue and fortunately Rockstar is in the financial position to be able to make notable changes while not needing to crunch on a title.
What all of this means for GTA6 is to be determined. Grand Theft Auto is a singular title in the gaming industry – one that has consistently set a new bar that is generally unmatched. With a complete shift in development and a large change in talent from the top-down, can they still deliver a revolutionary experience? Time will tell.
