In a recent interview with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Rockstar shared some juicy tidbits about the development of GTA VI, the most anticipated game of all time. And by “juicy tidbits,” I mean they basically said they threw a lot of money at the problem of creating a decent game. I mean, who needs a solid game design when you can just open a new studio in Los Angeles dedicated solely to NPC creation? It’s not like that’s a desperate attempt to flesh out a game world or anything.
The Cyberleek Debacle: A Cautionary Tale
Rockstar also discussed the Cyberleek debacle, because who doesn’t love a good leak? The development team was confident enough to boast that the next title won’t take nearly as long to get off the ground, mostly because they’ve already built the technology and team for it. Phil Hooker, one of the studio heads, said that they can build on top of the current project and go “more sideways than upwards” to create more compelling content. I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I’m pretty sure it’s just PR speak for “we’re going to milk this game for all it’s worth.”
A New Studio, Because Why Not?
The new Los Angeles studio’s main focus is on creating NPCs, because what’s a game without a bunch of non-playable characters wandering around? Development lead Rob Nelson claimed that the projections for NPC creation were “horrifying,” but fortunately, Rockstar was in a unique position to throw money at the problem and fix it. I mean, who needs a budget when you’re making a Grand Theft Auto game? The return on investment is basically guaranteed.
The Next Title: Coming Sooner Than You Think (Maybe)
Studio heads Phil Hooker and Aaron Garbut said that the next title in the series will come out sooner than GTA VI, mostly because they’re going to retain the technology and team that built it. They emphasized keeping the team together, which is a bold move in an industry where layoffs are the norm. I mean, just look at Halo Studios, which laid off hundreds of employees after launching Halo Campaign Evolved. Rockstar, on the other hand, is proof that keeping the band together brings results.
Conclusion: Rockstar’s Masterclass in Game Development
GTA VI launches on November 19, and fans can read the full Bloomberg interview if they want to learn more about the game’s development. But let’s be real, we all know what’s going to happen: the game will sell millions of copies, and Rockstar will make a bunch of money. And then they’ll probably release a bunch of DLCs and season passes, because why not? It’s not like gamers have better things to spend their money on. In any case, kudos to Rockstar for showing us all how to throw money at a problem and make it work. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go preorder my GTA VI collector’s edition, because priorities.
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