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Grand Theft Auto VI is probably going some of the anticipated video games in historical past, with thousands and thousands of gamers around the globe ready for any scrap of information or screenshot of the upcoming open-world crime simulator. Nevertheless, as distant employees wrestle with an undesirable return-to-office mandate from Rockstar Video games, Kotaku has realized from sources with information of the sport’s growth course of that GTA 6 may miss its 2025 launch window and slip into 2026.
Formally unveiled in December 2023 (after an enormous 2022 leak) GTA 6 is the hotly anticipated follow-up to 2013’s GTA V. Over a decade after that recreation’s launch—and its huge, still-growing gross sales numbers—Rockstar Video games is difficult at work on the sequel, which is ready in Vice Metropolis, a fictional tackle Miami, Florida. The sport is ready to return to PS5 and Xbox Sequence someday in 2025, and internally that’s nonetheless the plan. Kotaku was advised by sources with information of the state of affairs that “early 2025” is at the moment the objective.
Nevertheless, Kotaku has additionally realized that it’s turning into increasingly more possible that the sequel may not land till late 2025. It’s additionally attainable that it may even slip into 2026 as manufacturing reportedly falls behind.
In February, following quite a few leaks, Bloomberg reported that Rockstar Video games was mandating its staff to return to work 5 days every week within the workplace starting in April. The quick discover and drastic change caught many abruptly and has led to frustration from workers who really feel like they’re being pushed out after being employed remotely, as reported by Aftermath on March 19.
Whereas safety and high quality are reportedly the primary causes Rockstar is instituting the mandate to return to the workplace, I used to be advised by sources—who want to stay nameless to keep away from attainable retaliation—that growth on GTA 6 has began “falling behind.” I’m advised this has management at Rockstar nervous and fearful in regards to the recreation lacking the 2025 window and slipping into 2026, and is one other huge motive the corporate is pushing for a return to the workplace in April.
For the time being, I’m advised that Rockstar continues to be “aiming” for GTA 6 to reach in Spring 2025. Whereas an early 2025 launch is the objective, sources say they aren’t positive if this can occur and a Fall 2025 launch appears extra believable and possible. In the meantime, delaying the sport to 2026 is on the desk as a type of “fallback plan” or “emergency” choice if wanted.
And naturally, it needs to be famous—and I used to be reminded when speaking to of us about this case—that Rockstar Video games traditionally waits till the “final minute” to make modifications or alter plans, so the subsequent trailer for the sport—no phrase on when to anticipate that—may not replicate a delay as the corporate pushes ahead on growth.
Kotaku has contacted Rockstar Video games
Chatting with Aftermath, one worker shared considerations that after bettering over the previous few years, Rockstar Video games may slide again into dev crunch as GTA VI enters the ultimate a part of its lengthy growth.
“We’re involved about going again to that,” stated one Rockstar worker to Aftermath.
“I’ve been by a few tasks, each of which had crunch. The primary one was extraordinarily troublesome. I had means much less grey hair again then. … We wish to proceed the strides we’ve made as an organization to take away that poisonous tradition.”
Even when the sport is internally pushed again till late 2025 or is publicly delayed till 2026, that doesn’t imply employees—who’re being pressured to return to the workplace in opposition to their needs—received’t need to crunch. In truth, typically delays simply imply extra crunch. Regardless, it’s clear that GTA 6’s closing yr or so of growth received’t be straightforward or fast as the corporate goals for early 2025.
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