It’s no secret thatGTA 6is almost certainly going to be one of the biggest releases in recent gaming history, if notthebiggest. Since the fifth game in Rockstar’s monstrously lucrativeGrand Theft Autoseries was released back in 2013, many eagerly anticipate the next installment.
We know the studio has been working on it for what feels like an eternity. We’ve had dribs and drabs of official details, many,manyrumors, and a teaser trailer that quickly became one of the most watched videos on YouTube. In short, we’re very much ready for the next game.
But how long has Rockstar actually been working onGTA 6? to impart some idea of how long it’s been in development, I’ve put together a brief timeline, showing some of the bigger announcements. I think we can all agree, though, that it’s been in the pipeline for a ridiculously long time.
GTA 6timeline, explained
The web that isGrand Theft Auto 6‘s timeline is challenging to untangle, but not impossible. Most of the information comes from rumors, but a few concrete details give us an idea of whenGTA 6started development. Let’s break down the complete timeline:
Development forGTA 6is believed to have started as soon asGTA 5was released. However, considering thatRed Dead Redemption 2was the next major project on Rockstar Games’ radar, work on the followingGrand Theft Autoinstallment may not have fully taken off at that point. My guess is that if anything began in 2014, it was likely just the early idea phase rather than full development. The real development probably didn’t start untilRed Dead Redemption 2launched on July 18, 2025. From then on, it was likely all hands on deck at Rockstar Games, aside from the teams focused onGTAandRed Dead Online.
This speculation lines up with Rockstar Games’ official confirmation in early 2022 that the next entry in theGrand Theft Autoseries was “well underway.” While we don’t have an exact timeline, there are two reasonable estimates. If we go by the theory that development began right afterGTA 5, it would be about 11 years. But if we base it on the post-Red Dead Redemption 2timeline, it’s closer to seven years.
On the other hand, we also have to take into accountGTA 6‘s recent delay announcement. Now that the game has been pushed to 2026, its estimated development time is somewhere between eight and twelve years. This marks the longest development cycle in Rockstar Games’ history, withRed Dead Redemption 2reportedly coming in second at around eight years. And frankly, there could still be another delay on the horizon if the team feels there’s more polishing to be done.
It’s definitely been a long wait, but hopefully news is just around the corner, whether it’s the highly anticipated Trailer 2 or even a few new screenshots. Judging by the insane level of visual detail and the expected massive scale of the map, it’s no surprise thatGrand Theft Auto 6has taken this long to build. The big question now is: will it actually live up to the hype or even surpass the legacy thatGTA 5left behind? Only time will tell. While we wait for more information, be sure to check out the latestleaks about the gameand who could be thenext GOTY winner, withGTA 6out of the race.
