GTA VI is the the highly anticipated sequel of the second best-selling game of all time, GTA V and it only took Rockstar Games 12 years to develop. Surely the developers would have finished a full-length triple-A open-world game with that amount of time, evidenced by how detailed the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 was and that game is turning 6 this year after launching on previous-gen hardware. Former employees are now sharing the horrible working conditions they had to endure while working on GTA 5, and it’s not pretty.
Will GTA 6 Force Employees To Crunch Before Launch Day?
Working in the game industry is like gambling your mental health and time with everyone else’s cards to win the largest cash pot in a collaborative act. GTA V was a technical marvel during its time and was playable on the 7th generation of home video games, except for the Nintendo Wii, players spent hours on the singleplayer content and years on GTA Online after it was ported to the PS4, Xbox One and later PC. The final game was well received but the cost of getting it there is another discussion entirely.
Crunch is always frowned upon in the gaming industry and for good reason, just like any other profession, game developers can get burnt out and could have a negative impact in the long term. A post from X user Taylor Wright hinted at the awful treatment the staff received and how inconsiderate the higher-ups can be.
I remember when we had to be in office 10 days a week through GTAV crunch.
Not kidding, Rockstar San Diego had mandatory 80 hour weeks for a couple of months towards the tail end of dev. https://t.co/EAx5GL6s4q
— 🖤 Taylor Wright 🖤 (@redlamp) February 29, 2024
The company may have released the game with good intentions to avoid further delays, but this decision could have negative consequences on both the staff and the quality of the product. During the launch of GTA 5, there was a tremendous turnout with people lining up outside retailers for a midnight release and eager to try Rockstar’s latest masterpiece. However, no one bothered to look behind the scenes.
The cost of creating a perfect game shouldn’t come at the expense of the developer’s well-being. There is no version where this sounds even remotely correct, anyone who works within the entertainment industry should always be assured of a safe and toxic-free environment. Recently, Rockstar North has announced that staff are required to return to the office starting on April 15, 2024, for five days a week.
Rockstar Games Will Face Backlash For Crunching On GTA 6
Quality over quantity has been Rockstar’s motto for quite some time, judging by how they work on projects and each one they release always feels like it’s the biggest piece of entertainment ever.
Looking back at GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, they have certainly poured all they got along with any available technological advancements and are well aware of the level of anticipation the world has for GTA 6, they haven’t dropped the ball once, and aren’t planning to.
Do you agree with the developers for slamming Rockstar’s mandatory order to return to the office for quality assurance and crunch? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
