A former Rockstar Games artist has officially confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI has been in development for at least six years, offering fans rare insight into one of the most secretive game projects in history.
David O’Reilly Breaks His Silence
As reported by The Gamer, ex-Rockstar developer David O’Reilly recently shared his thoughts on GTA 6 in a video on his YouTube channel Game World Art. While reacting to screenshots from GTA 6’s second trailer, he casually revealed the exact timeframe of his involvement with the game.
“I worked on GTA 6 from 2018 to 2023. Went onto it after we wrapped up on RDR2. It’s fascinating having a look at all this stuff,” said O’Reilly.
This marks the first on-record confirmation of when active development on GTA 6 truly began—right after the completion of Red Dead Redemption 2.
13 Years After GTA 5
By the time GTA 6 releases in May 2026, it will have been nearly 13 years since GTA 5 launched back in 2013. This is more than double the five-year gap between GTA 4 and GTA 5, despite Rockstar releasing Red Dead Redemption in between.
With such a long wait, it’s no surprise that fans are eager for any details about GTA 6, from its setting in Vice City to its dual protagonists and expansive open world.
Why It Took So Long
Several factors have contributed to the lengthy development:
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Post-RDR2 Shift: Resources moved to GTA 6 only after Red Dead Redemption 2 shipped in late 2018.
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Next-Gen Ambitions: Rockstar is building the game specifically for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with unprecedented detail.
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Cultural Changes: Rockstar has been reshaping its workplace culture, which may have slowed production but improved long-term output.
With development confirmed to have started in 2018 and a 2026 release date set, fans now know the game will have had 8 years of full production time—not including early conceptual phases. Expectations are sky-high, but Rockstar’s track record suggests GTA 6 could be worth the wait.