Rockstar has revealed just how long GTA 6 has been in development, and the timeline goes back much further than many fans probably expected.
According to Rob Nelson, co-head of Rockstar North, development on GTA 6 began as far back as 2015. However, the majority of the team didn't fully move onto the project until after Red Dead Redemption 2 was released in 2018.
That means Rockstar has been working on GTA 6 for years, but the development process has changed and evolved along the way.
Why GTA 6 Takes So Long
One of the biggest challenges Rockstar faces is making sure the game's story and world don't become outdated before release.
Nelson explained that Rockstar works on very long development cycles. Ideas that seem relevant when development begins can change completely by the time the game is ready.
Because GTA 6 deals with a modern world, Rockstar has to be careful about which real-world events and topics become part of the game's story.
Rockstar Wants GTA 6 to Stand the Test of Time
Instead of simply putting current events into the game, Rockstar appears to be focusing on ideas that can remain relevant for years.
Nelson explained that the team still wants GTA 6 to satirize ridiculous situations and behaviors, but they have to choose those subjects carefully.
This could explain why some aspects of GTA 6 feel familiar to previous games while others appear to be influenced by the modern world.
Nearly a Decade of Development
Knowing that GTA 6 has been in development since 2015 makes the game's long development cycle a little easier to understand.
The majority of the team joining after Red Dead Redemption 2 also shows that the full production period wasn't simply one uninterrupted development process.
After years of work, fans are finally getting closer to seeing the result.
What do you think about GTA 6 being in development since 2015?