When did GTA 6 development start: Everything known so far

"When did GTA 6 development start?" is a question many in the gaming community have been asking right now. There is a lot of interest surrounding the upcoming Rockstar Games title, especially after the release of the second trailer on May 6, 2025. The game looks amazing and almost real-to-life in the latest footage. Considering the recent delay announcement to 2026, people are curious to know how long the studio has been working on it.

Unfortunately, as far as official announcements go, there isn't much to go on except a tweet from 2022, which acknowledged that the GTA 6 development was underway. With that said, let's delve deeper into the question: When did GTA 6 development start?

Note - Some parts of this article are speculative and reflect the writer's opinions and analysis.

When did GTA 6 development start? Everything we know

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It was in early February 2022 when Rockstar Games officially acknowledged the existence of Grand Theft Auto 6 and informed fans that active development on the series' new entry was underway.

Shortly after, in a report from July 2022, reputed video game journalist Jason Schreier suggested that the title had been in development in some form since 2014, which, if true, would be just a year after Grand Theft Auto 5 released on PS3 and Xbox 360.

When did GTA 6 development start? A still from the first official GTA 6 trailer (Image via Rockstar Games)

Check out: How many times was GTA 5 delayed

The information is officially unconfirmed, but as Jason Schreier has a good track record when it comes to reporting about Grand Theft Auto 6, it is worth taking into account.

Given that Rockstar released Red Dead Redemption 2, a greatly detailed and expansive video game in 2018, it could be that initial planning on the Grand Theft Auto sequel may have begun sometime after GTA 5's release, and proper development might have started after Red Dead Redemption 2. Nevertheless, readers should note that this is only speculation and are advised to take it with a pinch of salt.

Also check: 3 major reasons why GTA 6 will be worth the wait

When did GTA 6 development start? A look at the upcoming title's lead characters (Image via Rockstar Games)

Besides asking the question: When did GTA 6 development start, some fans are also curious about when GTA 6 was originally supposed to release. No exact release date was announced before the delay, but the game was targeting a Fall 2025 launch window.

However, following the GTA 6 delay announcement, the long-awaited next chapter in the Grand Theft Auto series is targeting a May 26, 2026, release date.

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About the author

Suyash is an Esports and Gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who specializes in Rockstar Games' GTA franchise. Suyash uses in-depth research and knowledge of his immense experience with the game series to ensure readers have access to the most reliable information. His insightful content pieces have raked in more than 5 million views in just a little over a year's time.

Suyash holds a B.Tech degree and ventured into the world of gaming at a young age through the Prince of Persia Sands of Time trilogy. However, upon encountering GTA Vice City’s 1980s aesthetic, music, and vintage cars, he became enamored with the game, leading him to explore the rest of the franchise.

Suyash prefers solo titles to multiplayer, especially ones with a well-crafted story and character arcs. He admires journalist Jason Schreier for the respect he commands in the industry and the reliability of his news pieces. To ensure the accuracy of his own pieces, he checks multiple reputable sources and insiders.

If he were to recommend a game to a skeptic, it would be Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series. When he’s not roaming the streets of Los Santos in GTA V, you can find him playing football, watching movies, or working out.

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Edited by Shraman Mitra