# GTA 6 development history: from Project Americas to launch

Source: https://gta.kuber.studio/timeline/gta-6-development-history
Status: mixed
Updated: 2026-11-15

> GTA 6 development began around 2014-2015, ramped up after RDR2 and hit full production in 2020. The studios, the leads, Dan Houser's exit and how long it took.

**Quick answer:** GTA 6's preliminary work began around **2014-2015** with pre-production on 'Project Americas', early development followed **Red Dead Redemption 2 in late 2018**, and principal production started in **2020**. Rockstar North leads, with studios including San Diego, Toronto and a new Los Angeles team. It is the first mainline GTA story since 1997 without **Dan Houser**, who left in 2020. See the dated record on the [[timeline/index|GTA 6 timeline]].

| Key fact | |
| --- | --- |
| Preliminary work | About 2014-2015 |
| Principal production | 2020 |
| Lead studio | Rockstar North (Edinburgh) |
| Headcount during development | 2,441 to 4,711 across 12 offices (reported) |
| Dan Houser | Left March 11, 2020; wrote none of VI |
| Budget | Undisclosed; Rockstar denies over $1.5B |

GTA 6 has been in the works for roughly a decade. Preliminary work began around **2014-2015**, after GTA V. Early development picked up after **Red Dead Redemption 2** shipped in late 2018, and principal production began in **2020** <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. Take-Two itself has said development began "in earnest" in 2020. Rockstar North in Edinburgh leads, and executives said on November 9, 2026 that development was finished <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>.

## How long has GTA 6 been in development?

| Phase | When | Grade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Preliminary work after GTA V | About 2014-2015 | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| "Project Americas" pre-production, Miami research trips | From 2015 | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| Early development, after RDR2 | Late 2018 | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| Narrative outline set | By late 2019 | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| Principal production | 2020 | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| Rockstar confirms development "well underway" | Feb 4, 2022 | <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span> |
| Development finished | By Nov 9, 2026 | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |

The early phases come from Wikipedia's article, which cites press reporting including IGN and Bloomberg. Rockstar has not published its own development history. Counted from principal production, GTA 6 took about six years; counted from preliminary work, closer to twelve.

## Who is making GTA 6?

**Rockstar North** in Edinburgh leads. Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar Toronto and others contribute. **Rockstar Los Angeles** was set up in 2023, focused on NPC development <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. Per Wikipedia, Rockstar's headcount grew from 2,441 to 4,711 across 12 offices during development <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>.

The people who have spoken for the game in 2026 <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>:

| Name | Role |
| --- | --- |
| Sam Houser | Rockstar president; signed the 2023 trailer announcement and is described as involved in every aspect of creative development |
| Rob Nelson | Co-studio head, Rockstar North; producer of the Extended Look |
| Aaron Garbut | Co-studio head, Rockstar North |
| Rupert Humphries | SVP of narrative; co-writer of the Extended Look |
| Jennifer Kolbe | Head of publishing |

## Did Dan Houser work on GTA 6?

Not on the story. Dan Houser, co-founder and lead writer from GTA III through Red Dead Redemption 2, took an extended break in 2019. Take-Two announced his resignation in February 2020, and he left on **March 11, 2020** <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>. He founded Absurd Ventures, registered in February 2021 and announced in June 2023.

In late September 2025, Houser said GTA VI is "not going to be a story I wrote", adding that "the world's probably had enough GTA from me" <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>. That makes VI the first mainline GTA story without him since the original in 1997. Rupert Humphries, Rockstar's SVP of narrative, is now the public face of the story team. The story it has built around the two leads is covered on [[characters/jason-and-lucia-relationship|Jason and Lucia's relationship]].

## Key decisions along the way

- **A female co-lead.** Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported in July 2022 that the game would star a Latina woman in a Bonnie and Clyde-style duo, in a fictional Miami, alongside an overhaul of Rockstar's workplace culture after 2018 <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. Trailer 1 confirmed the duo. See [[characters/gta-6-first-female-protagonist|first female protagonist]].
- **Two leads, not four.** Rob Nelson told Famitsu that Rockstar considered four protagonists and rejected it, because more leads would mean less time with each one <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>. The [[leaks/gta-6-four-protagonists-rumour|four-protagonist rumor]] grew out of that.
- **A much bigger, denser state.** Rockstar told Edge the landmass is "nearly as large as the playable maps of GTA 4, GTA 5, and RDR2 combined", and Aaron Garbut cited an "order of magnitude more interiors" <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>. More on [[world/gta-6-map-size|map size]].
- **No generative AI, no launch monetization.** Strauss Zelnick said generative AI has "zero part in what Rockstar Games is building", and Nelson said there is no monetization at launch <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>.
- **Console first.** GTA VI launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only. A PC version is reported for Q1 2027, not announced <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>.

## Setbacks and controversies

| When | What | Grade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sep 2022 | A hacker leaks 90+ early-development clips | <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span> |
| Apr 2024 | Return to office five days a week, "for productivity and security" | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| Jan 2025 | Photos of a PS5 dev kit running the game, reportedly from Rockstar San Diego in mid-2021, appear on Reddit | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| May and Nov 2025 | Two delays, both for polish | <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span> |
| Oct 30, 2025 | 31 UK staff fired; union-busting claims | <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span> (firings) |
| Jul 1, 2026 | Game Developer reports pay-inequity and crunch claims | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| Sep 11, 2026 | IGN reports privacy film installed after drones photographed office windows | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| Aug-Oct 2026 | CyberLeek leaks of gameplay and a map | <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span> (leak happened) |

The two 2026 workplace reports come via Wikipedia's citations; we have not read the original articles. Each major item has its own page: [[timeline/gta-6-2022-leak|the 2022 leak]], [[timeline/gta-6-delays|the delays]] and [[timeline/rockstar-uk-firings-and-union|the firings and union fight]].

## How much did GTA 6 cost to make?

Rockstar has not disclosed it. In an October 2026 Bloomberg feature, Jennifer Kolbe denied the budget exceeded $1.5 billion without giving a number <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. Long-running rumors put it at $1-2 billion <span class="tag-rumour">rumour</span>. Roth's Eric Handler estimates more than $1 billion and Michael Pachter more than $1.5 billion, both analyst estimates. Every figure is on [[leaks/gta-6-budget-rumours|GTA 6 budget rumors]].

## Awards before release

- **2024:** Golden Joystick for Most Wanted Game; The Game Awards' Most Anticipated Game.
- **2025:** Golden Joystick for Best Game Trailer (Trailer 2) and Most Wanted Game; Most Anticipated Game again at The Game Awards.

Both per Wikipedia <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>.

## Bottom line

A decade from first sketches to shelves, six years of full production, two delays and no Dan Houser script. Whether it was worth it is a question for the [[release/gta-6-reviews-and-review-embargo|reviews]], reported to land on November 18.

## FAQ

**How long has GTA 6 been in development?**

Preliminary work began around 2014-2015, early development in late 2018 after Red Dead Redemption 2, and principal production in 2020, per Wikipedia citing press reports. From full production to launch is about six years.

**Did Dan Houser write GTA 6?**

No. Houser left Rockstar on March 11, 2020 and said in 2025 that GTA VI is 'not going to be a story I wrote'. It is the first mainline GTA story without him since 1997.

**Which Rockstar studio is making GTA 6?**

Rockstar North in Edinburgh leads development, with Rockstar San Diego, Toronto, a Los Angeles studio founded in 2023 and other offices contributing.

**How much did GTA 6 cost to make?**

Rockstar has not said. Its head of publishing, Jennifer Kolbe, denied in October 2026 that the budget exceeded $1.5 billion, without giving a figure. Analyst estimates range from over $1 billion to over $1.5 billion.

**Is GTA 6 development finished?**

Yes, per executives on Take-Two's November 9, 2026 earnings call, as reported by GamesBeat. Pre-load opened November 10, and update 1.002.000 was reported on November 13.


## Sources

- [Grand Theft Auto VI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_VI) (Wikipedia, Accessed Nov 15, 2026)
- [Dan Houser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Houser) (Wikipedia, Accessed Nov 15, 2026)
- [Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser says he didn't write any of GTA 6](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/rockstar-co-founder-dan-houser-says-he-didnt-write-any-of-gta-6-the-worlds-probably-had-enough-gta-from-me) (PC Gamer, Sep 2025)
- [GTA 6 is in active development and 'well underway', Rockstar confirms](https://techradar.com/news/gta-6-is-in-active-development-and-well-underway-according-to-rockstar) (TechRadar, Feb 4, 2022)
- [GTA 6 to reportedly feature series' first female protagonist as Rockstar overhauls workplace culture](https://www.gamesradar.com/gta-6-to-feature-series-first-female-protagonist-as-rockstar-overhauls-workplace-culture) (GamesRadar+, Jul 2022)
- [GTA 6: Famitsu's Full Rob Nelson Interview Translated Into English](https://www.gtavice.net/news/gta-6-famitsus-full-rob-nelson-interview-translated-into-english) (GTAVice.net, Sep 9, 2026)
- [All the takeaways about GTA VI from the Take-Two earnings call](https://gamesbeat.com/all-the-takeaways-on-gta-from-the-take-two-earnings-call-strauss-zelnick/) (GamesBeat, Nov 9, 2026)
- [Rockstar still won't reveal cost of GTA 6 development, but it's definitely not previously rumored $1.5 billion](https://tech.yahoo.com/gaming/articles/rockstar-still-wont-reveal-cost-152304936.html) (Yahoo Tech, Oct 2026)
- [GTA 6's Landmass Is Nearly As Big As GTA 4, GTA 5, And Red Dead Redemption 2 Combined](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6s-landmass-is-nearly-as-big-as-gta-4-gta-5-and-red-dead-redemption-2-combined/) (GameSpot, Oct 2026)
- [Grand Theft Auto 6 Will Have No Microtransactions Or Generative AI](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-6-will-have-no-microtransactions-or-generative-ai/) (GameSpot, Aug 2026)