After years of silence and endless speculation, we finally know how long Grand Theft Auto 6 has been in development — and the answer has shocked fans. According to a former Rockstar Games artist, the game has been in the works since 2018, right after the release of Red Dead Redemption 2.
That means by the time GTA 6 finally drops in May 2026, it will have been in development for a massive eight years. For fans, that’s both exciting and a little concerning.
Former Rockstar developer David O’Reilly recently spoke out in a YouTube video on his channel Game World Art. While reacting to screenshots from GTA 6 Trailer 2, he casually revealed, “I worked on GTA 6 from 2018 to 2023. Went onto it after we wrapped up on RDR2.” That one sentence says a lot — it confirms just how huge this project has become.
It’s no secret that game development takes longer now, especially for open-world games like GTA. But still, the 13-year gap between GTA 5 and GTA 6 is the longest in franchise history. For comparison, the gap between GTA 4 and GTA 5 was only five years.
Some fans are wondering: Why did Rockstar wait so long to start GTA 6? Others are simply amazed that the studio took its time instead of rushing the next game. On social media, reactions have been mixed — some praising the polish and care, others worried about the wait.
Adding to the hype, Trailer 2 of GTA 6 broke online viewership records when it dropped. And with the full release now just 12 months away, Rockstar is expected to start revealing more details soon. Hopefully, we won’t see another long silence like the 17-month gap between the first and second trailers.
The game has been rated ‘M for Mature’ by the ESRB, which means it is meant for players aged 17 and up because of strong language, violence, and other mature content.
For now, fans know one thing: GTA 6 is coming. And it’s been in the oven for a long, long time.
