Rockstar developers heard about real crimes during GTA 6 research
TL;DR
Rockstar's senior VP of technology, Jonathon Ashcroft, says developers were told about crimes by people during GTA 6 research.
Rockstar began researching for GTA 6 as early as 2015 by making trips to Miami (Jason Schreier). The firm nearly set up a local workspace in the area and employed full-time staff there (Jason Schreier). Rockstar senior VP of technology Jonathon Ashcroft states that once locals discovered the team's origins, they eagerly shared stories regarding offenses they and their companions had committed (Jonathon Ashcroft).
Background In 2018, the company had 2,441 employees during the launch of Red Dead Redemption 2. Our earlier story
Grand Theft Auto VI at a glance
- Release
- Coming Nov 19, 2026
- On PC
- Not announced for PC yet
- Platforms
- PS5 · Xbox
Earlier coverage
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Jason Schreier says the GTA 6 NPC interaction system was being prototyped in 2014. Rockstar Games reportedly grew its artist team by over 10x since GTA 5.
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Rockstar Games released the final 90-second trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI, showcasing its protagonists and setting ahead of the November 19 release.
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Rockstar North co-studio head Aaron Garbut says no single developer has a complete picture of GTA 6 due to its complexity. The game launches November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
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Rockstar developers say GTA VI will have narrower roads and denser traffic to provide a more realistic urban driving experience.