Development for the game may have commenced earlier than officially stated by Take-Two.
Evidence suggests that the development of Grand Theft Auto VI might have begun earlier than publisher Take-Two Interactive has publicly disclosed. New documentation indicates project expenditures dating back to March 2019, despite Take-Two previously stating that full-scale development only truly commenced in 2020.
These findings fuel speculation about a potential project reboot in 2020, which, if true, would push the actual start of development even further back. This context highlights the unusually long development cycle for the game.
Rob Carr, a former audio engineer at Rockstar Games, suggests that a significant overhaul of the RAGE engine could be a primary reason. He believes the studio likely “completely rebuilt the technological foundation,” acknowledging the substantial advancements in technology since the release of Grand Theft Auto V.
Carr pointed out that GTA V launched on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 generation consoles, and the industry has progressed immensely since then. Despite its age, the game maintained relevance for many years due to Grand Theft Auto Online, making the prolonged development period for the new installment even more conspicuous.