Rockstar Games believes its next game will take less time to develop than Grand Theft Auto VI, with the studio planning to build on the technology, tools and expertise established during the much-anticipated title.

Speaking to Bloomberg in a report detailing the making of GTA VI, Rockstar co-head of development Phil Hooker said: 

“The engine, the tools and the team we’ve built during this project will allow us to do things more quickly. I feel confident that we can build on top of this and go more sideways than upwards to build more compelling content.”

Rockstar North co-head Aaron Garbut also said the studio had fundamentally changed several aspects of its technology for GTA VI but would retain those improvements rather than rebuild everything for its next project.

The report also gave a glimpse into how extensive Rockstar’s work was with GTA VI’s fictional state of Leonida, including its bustling Miami-inspired Vice City. According to the report, Rockstar conducted research trips to the city to study its locations, nightlife, and atmosphere, using those observations to inform the game’s world.

GTA VI’s NPCs also got the same treatment. Developers reportedly scripted and animated individual nightclub visitors, incorporating elements such as drinks, music, and lighting to make these environments feel more authentic.

Rockstar also explored a much larger setting during the game’s early development. Initially codenamed Project Americas, the project reportedly envisioned vast areas across North and South America before its scope was narrowed to Vice City and its surrounding regions. These ambitions contributed to the game’s lengthy development, alongside delays and the challenges of building a more detailed open world.

GTA VI is scheduled to launch on 19 November 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. While Hooker’s comments suggest future development could move faster, they do not guarantee a specific release window. For now, the studio’s immediate focus remains on delivering GTA VI.