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GTA 6 development enters “final stretch” as Rockstar pulls in devs

GTA 6's Vice City will look slicker than ever as Rockstar Games buckles up for the "final stretch" of the GTA 5 sequel's development.

GTA 6 development rockstar games: an image of Lucia and Jason in GTA 6.

There’s no denying that GTA 6 is the most anticipated game around right now. Rockstar Games’ successor to GTA 5 has been a decade in the making, and now there is light at the end of the tunnel. That light will lead to the sun-kissed streets of Vice City, as the studio is reportedly entering the final phases of Grand Theft Auto 6’s development.

With so much riding on GTA 6 to be one of the best games in the franchise, Rockstar Games will be expected to deliver the same level of polish seen in previous titles like Red Dead Redemption 2. That’s exactly what the acclaimed studio is focusing on right now, as Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reports that Rockstar Games is entering the final stretch of development on Grand Theft Auto 6. “Rockstar [Games] head of publishing Jenn Kolbe said the decision was made for productivity and security reasons,” Schreier’s report details.

In one of the biggest data breaches in gaming history, huge glimpses into the game’s early development were leaked on. The extensive leak showcases the game’s map and gameplay mechanics, lacking the visual sheen that the studio will refine as GTA 6 nears completion. Despite the disappointing situation for Rockstar Games, it hasn’t affected the GTA 6 release date. Furthermore, in an internal email obtained by Bloomberg, Kolbe believes that bringing its staff back into Rockstar’s offices will be beneficial to refining the upcoming open-world game.

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“Making these changes now puts us in the best position to deliver the next Grand Theft Auto at the level of quality and polish we know it requires,” expresses Kolbe. Additionally, Kolbe says that it will allow the studio to focus on “a publishing roadmap that matches the scale and ambition of the game.” There’s still a long way to go before GTA 6 arrives, but with so much time dedicated to its creation, like you, we’re expecting something special from the new PS5 game and new Xbox game.

We don’t just mean on the visual side, even though GTA 6 is likely to push consoles to their absolute limits. One of the biggest components of its predecessor is GTA Online, one of the best multiplayer games out there. Sure, it can be pretty grindy, but acquiring your own fancy home and forging a criminal empire is a blast with friends. It is likely that GTA 6 will feature its own iteration of GTA Online, but whether it replaces the current version remains to be seen. Either way, we can’t wait to listen to this famous rapper while cruising around Vice City.

In related GTA 6 news, this five-time Grammy nominated artist is also teasing that they’ll be involved with the game.