GTA 6 will ‘set creative benchmarks for the series’, claims publisher

The next entry in the Grand Theft Auto franchise will “set creative benchmarks for the series,” according to publisher Take-Two.

Speaking as part of Take-Two’s financial update,  Strauss Zelnick, the company’s CEO, said that the development of the game, which is currently unnamed, is “well underway”.

“The Rockstar Games team is determined to once again set creative benchmarks for the series, our industry, and for all entertainment, just as the label has done with every one of their frontline releases.”

Rockstar confirmed that the development of the game was progressing in February. 

“We look forward to sharing more as soon as we are ready, so please stay tuned to the Rockstar Newswire for official details,” the company said at the time, but little official news has emerged about the game since then.

Since then, it’s been claimed by Bloomberg that Grand Theft Auto 6 will take place in an area based on Miami, and may feature a female playable character.

In a report published last month, sources told Bloomberg that the game is “at least two years away,” and that this may be down to sweeping cultural changes at Rockstar.

Industry insider Tom Henderson claimed last July that Grand Theft Auto 6 would release in either 2024 or 2025, partly due to Rockstar’s new focus on employee wellbeing following criticism of its alleged crunch culture.

At the time, his claims were backed up by Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, as well as VGC’s own sources.

Further reading

New report backs claims Rockstar shelved remasters to fully focus on GTA 6

But Red Dead Redemption and GTA IV remasters could be revisited in the future, it’s claimed

Earlier this year, a Rockstar insider who’s accurately leaked information about the company’s games in the past claimed remasters of GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption “were on the table a few years ago” but are no longer planned.

Kotaku later backed up the claims. Citing sources with knowledge of Rockstar’s plans, it said the studio has—temporarily at least—parked the remasters to fully focus on GTA 6.