Rockstar scaled back GTA 6 from a continental map as development delays mounted
Developed over time first seen 1 day ago
Rockstar originally planned Grand Theft Auto 6 as a much larger game, codenamed Project Americas, with broad areas across North and South America. The idea was eventually scaled back to Miami and its surroundings, while development was delayed as Red Dead Redemption 2 expanded in scope and the team later faced the Covid-19 pandemic.
By 2019, the game had its Jason and Lucia dual-protagonist concept, but its detailed mechanics took longer to develop. Rockstar says it changed its approach to crunch after Red Dead Redemption 2, and employees interviewed by Bloomberg mostly described improvements. The company is also facing a Scottish employment tribunal over the dismissal of 34 staff; a 2022 phishing attack exposed unfinished footage, and release plans shifted from 2025 to May 2026 before Rockstar decided it needed more time.
- GTA 6’s original map plan covered parts of North and South America.
- Rockstar scaled the game back to Miami and nearby areas.
- Delays followed project changes, the pandemic and development setbacks.
New here? Start with this
Grand Theft Auto is a series of open-world action games made by Rockstar Games, in which players explore fictional cities and follow criminal stories. Grand Theft Auto 6 is set in a fictional version of Miami and nearby areas, and follows two central characters, Jason and Lucia.
Rockstar first considered a much larger setting spanning parts of North and South America, before narrowing the game’s scope. Its development followed Red Dead Redemption 2, another major Rockstar game, and overlapped with the Covid-19 pandemic, adding to the demands of making a large, detailed game.
The game’s development has also drawn attention to working conditions at Rockstar and to a 2022 cyber attack that exposed unfinished footage. Its release timing matters to players and the games industry because it is one of the most anticipated titles in the series.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A large, continent-spanning game could have delivered greater variety and ambition, and the original plan may have reflected the scale players expected from a new Grand Theft Auto. Delays and a narrower setting can be seen as reasonable choices if they help the studio manage development pressures, respond to the pandemic and release a more polished game; Rockstar also says it has changed its approach to crunch.
The case against
Scaling the project back may have reduced the breadth and ambition that made the original concept appealing, while repeated delays can frustrate players and raise questions about planning and delivery. Claims of improved working practices also warrant scrutiny given varied staff accounts and the employment tribunal over the dismissal of 34 employees; the leaked footage further exposed the consequences of security failures, even if the attack itself was criminal.
More coverage
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Eurogamer as “GTA 6 was originally Project Americas and covered “big swaths” of country’s north and south, Rockstar reveals, in interview tackling crunch, delays, and leaks”.