Grand Theft Auto VI nears launch after more than a decade of development

Rockstar Games is weeks away from releasing Grand Theft Auto VI, a project in development in some form since 2015. The Guardian was given a hands-on look at the game at the studio's Edinburgh headquarters, where Rockstar North leads a global team of nearly 5,000 people.

The game is due on 19 November, 13 years after its predecessor. Independent estimates put its cost at more than $1bn, a figure Rockstar has not confirmed. It is widely expected to be one of the most profitable entertainment products ever made. GTA V, released in 2013, sold 230m copies, and the first GTA VI trailer has drawn 300m views on YouTube alone.

Two leads and a different style of play

The new game is set in Vice City, in a fictional state called Leonida that parodies Miami and Florida. Players follow Jason and Lucia, a young criminal couple. Lucia is the first woman to receive headline billing in the series. Players can usually switch between the two characters and must look after their relationship through calls, texts and outings. Neglecting it has consequences. Rob Nelson, co-studio head of Rockstar North, said: "The relationship is yours to nurture or yours to lose."

Crime remains central, but the game pushes players toward planning rather than random destruction. The pair start out only able to hotwire cheap cars and pick simple locks. Robberies reward scouting targets, disabling cameras and finding quiet ways in. Nelson described this as the first entry in the series to offer mechanisms that encourage empathy, for players who want them. He also said he wants to avoid punishing people who play the way they are used to.

Industry stakes

The release comes at a difficult time for the games business, which has seen studio closures, layoffs and rising development costs. Many in the sector are counting on the title to lift the industry. Rockstar also faces an employment tribunal in Glasgow brought by 34 former staff, who say they were dismissed over union organising.

Nelson said the team's main limit has shifted from technical constraints to human ones. He noted that extra money can help, but it is no guarantee of a good result.

What it means for technology readers

For people following computing and online entertainment, the launch shows how large modern game production has become. Teams, budgets and timelines now rival major film projects. The game's reception and sales are likely to shape how other studios plan big releases. A launch of this scale may also put strain on online services and digital storefronts around release day.