A new report by Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier has rarely revealed the behind-the-scenes development of GTA 6. Rockstar initially had grander plans for this upcoming open-world blockbuster but ultimately had to scale them back. The report also features exclusive photos from Rockstar North's studio in Edinburgh.
Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier visited Rockstar North's studio in Edinburgh, Scotland. In addition to new findings about game development, the article published some rare photos from inside the studio, which have already sparked heated discussion on Reddit. Before delving into the major revelations in Schreier's report, let's take a look at these photos.
Fans were ecstatic to finally get a glimpse behind the scenes at the studio working on GTA 6.
"It's like visiting the inside of the Pentagon," wrote Reddit user u/WeaponizedAcoustic—a fitting analogy given Rockstar's rare openness to the public regarding its studios. These photos have also sparked speculation. One photo shows books about surfing and Ibiza, which some fans have interpreted as hints at content that might appear in GTA 6.
"Project Americas": GTA 6's original plan was much larger in scale
Thanks to fan-made map reconstructions, we already have a rough idea of the scale of GTA 6's world. It appears to be larger than the map in Grand Theft Auto V, but much smaller than Rockstar's initial vision.
According to Schreier, the studio initially envisioned a vast open world spanning much of North and South America. This ambitious concept, internally codenamed "Project Americas," was ultimately abandoned in favor of a setting more focused on Vice City and its surrounding areas. The report does not explicitly explain why Rockstar abandoned its initial vision. However, considering the technical challenges the studio faced at the time, it may have been because the project's scale was simply too large to realize.
Difficulties during development, crunch, and hopes for faster releases in the future
Bloomberg's report is essentially a behind-the-scenes look at the development of GTA 6, revealing that the making of this game was not smooth sailing—as evidenced by the game's multiple delays.
According to Schreier, Rockstar went through a period of severe internal turmoil. One particularly thorny issue was how much realism the studio should incorporate into GTA 6, with developers reportedly divided on the game's creative direction.
Organizational difficulties and technical challenges exacerbated development pressure, especially in building the game's complex systems and adding NPCs to the game world. At times, Rockstar's capacity simply couldn't handle such a massive workload, forcing the company to establish a new department in Los Angeles. The pandemic brought additional obstacles. These challenges might explain why Rockstar ultimately scaled down "Project Americas," although Schreier's report does not directly confirm a link between the two.
However, there is some encouraging news for the future. The technology developed for GTA 6 could help Rockstar significantly accelerate the development of its next-generation games. Developers hope their next project won't take another eight years. Whether this optimism will translate into shorter development cycles remains to be seen.
