How long has GTA 6 been in development: Leaks, rumors, and more

GTA 6 seems to have been in development for a long time. While Rockstar Games confirmed the title's active development in early 2022, last year's leaks suggest the studio might have been working on it for quite some time. Some suggest that Rockstar might have started working on Grand Theft Auto 6 a little while after Grand Theft Auto 5's release in 2013.

That said, nothing can be confirmed unless officially stated by Rockstar or its parent company, Take-Two Interactive. All that is known at the moment is that the game is now ready to be showcased, with its first trailer dropping next month.

Note: Some aspects of this article are speculative. Readers should take the information provided with a grain of salt.

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When did GTA 6 development begin

Grand Theft Auto 6's development estimates (Image via X/@that1detectiv3)

One of the most reliable Rockstar Games insiders, Tez2, apparently received information claiming GTA 6 development had started in some capacity as early as 2014. Video game analyst Michael Pachter also believes that Grand Theft Auto 6's development dates back to 2014.

That said, Pachter claimed its map would include Liberty City, San Andreas, and even Europe, along with Vice City. Although confirmation about the title's setting is yet to arrive, the leaked gameplay footage suggests the game is set in Vice City, with surrounding areas likely based on parts of Florida.

On the other hand, reputed video game journalist Jason Schreier estimates that Grand Theft Auto 6 was in the early stages of development in 2020. While the two claims heavily contradict each other, there have been reports of the sequel being rebooted to some extent in 2019 following the departure of Dan Houser, one of Rockstar Games' founders.

Grand Theft Auto 6's development might have been rebooted in 2019 (Image via X/@that1detectiv3)

The gaming studio also released Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) in 2018, which is one of the most technologically advanced games ever made. Therefore, it is more likely that ideas regarding Grand Theft Auto 6 might have been discussed after Grand Theft Auto 5's launch in 2013, but RDR2's development was prioritized.

Rockstar confirming the sequel's development in 2022 (Image via X/@RockstarGames)

Rockstar Games confirmed active development of GTA 6 in February 2022. However, it is unlikely that this is when work might have begun on the title, as the GTA 6 leaks emerged on the internet just months later in September. Furthermore, its first trailer is ready to be released in early December this year.

Nevertheless, it has been 10 years since the last installment in the series was released, and fans are very excited to get a first official look at the sequel next month. Until then, they can participate in Community Challenges introduced with the latest GTA Online weekly update.