A former Rockstar Games employee has claimed that Grand Theft Auto 6 is "probably playable now," and the development team is focusing on bug fixes and other technical adjustments. Mike York, a former animator who worked on other Rockstar titles such as Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, believes that the developers are performing rigorous testing and playing the game extensively to ensure a polished final product, based on his prior experiences with the company.
York's statement in a now-deleted video by Kiwi Talkz on YouTube suggests that GTA 6's currently scheduled fall 2025 release date will be met, despite circulating rumors of a delay in the open-world crime game's development.
GTA 6 Interview with Ex-Rockstar Animator Mike York Removed Upon Request
The Video Was Deleted Shortly After Posting
After posting the video on YouTube, Kiwi Talkz announced in a statement that the video was removed upon York's request, as he "said some stuff that he shouldn't have." While the exact information that he shouldn't have said remains unclear, the deletion of the video strongly suggests that York's thoughts on GTA 6's current development status are valid. As per information from Xhardhempus, who noted down York's statement, the former Rockstar animator believes the game is essentially completed, and the focus is purely on technical fixes:
“They’re probably still adding some new things here and there, of course, but I would assume the game is already playable now, and a lot of people are testing everything from start to finish,” he speculated. “There are probably tons of bugs, and they’re fixing all of them, trying to find even more and squash as many as possible before release, because a game like GTA is unlike any other.” - Mike York in an interview with Kiwi Talkz, courtesy of Xhardhempus.
York's discussion on the current development of Grand Theft Auto 6 comes from a place of experience, as the former animator at Rockstar has been credited on games released between 2012 and 2017 through the Rockstar New England studio. Reflecting on his prior employment, he suggested that the team would play GTA 5 for up to ten hours a day to identify any bugs or glitches in the open-world Los Santos, to ensure a polished final product. He believes that this will most likely be underway at the moment for Grand Theft Auto 6, based on his recollection of events.
What We Know About GTA 6 Thus Far
No New Information On GTA 6 Since December 2024
York's statements on the current status of GTA 6 are purely speculative, as Rockstar Games have remained tight-lipped on specific details of the release or development of the hugely anticipated sequel to 2013's Grand Theft Auto 5.York previously suggested that Rockstar is intentionally providing no official statements to fuel hype and organic marketing, as Rockstar's only official statement on their website confirms that "Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City," a return to the setting of 2002's GTA Vice City.
While Grand Theft Auto 6 is likely at the top of everyone’s GOTY prediction list, I am far more excited about one of the years best-looking RPGs.
GTA 6 is expected to launch in Fall 2025 on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, as indicated in the trailer which has received over 230 million views at the time of writing. Fans will play as crime-duo Lucia and a currently unnamed male protagonist. The game is estimated to bring in $3 billion dollars within the first year of release, highlighting the monumental hype for the game. Statements like Mike York's fuel speculation and anticipation for Grand Theft Auto 6in the meantime, as fans wildly theorize about when another trailer or a release date will be unveiled.
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