Rockstar Games, the developer and publisher behind the Grand Theft Auto series, nearly doubled the workforce involved in Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) and overhauled its work organization, management practices, and hours while developing the game, according to reporting by Jason Schreier. The changes included efforts to reduce excessive overtime and reorganize internal processes on a project of enormous scale.

Schreier, a reporter specializing in video games, discussed the production’s behind-the-scenes details in a video published on October 17, 2026, alongside hosts Christina Ruffini and Lisa Mateo. The material presents the transformations as a process built over several years, rather than as a corporate announcement from Rockstar.

In Schreier’s assessment, the company underwent a rebuild to complete GTA VI, expanding its team and revising its production practices.

The reorganization included attempts to curb excessive overtime, a practice known in the industry as crunch. Schreier’s broader investigation also describes changes to management and the way production was organized as GTA VI progressed.

These changes follow earlier criticism of working conditions at Rockstar, particularly after the development of Red Dead Redemption 2, the company’s previous game, which launched in 2018. By 2022, the company had already been linked to measures intended to change internal practices and limit excessive hours during GTA VI’s production.

Beyond their impact on the current game, Schreier believes that the tools, structures, and processes created during this cycle could reduce the time or turbulence involved in Rockstar’s future major projects. This is a perspective on the development cycles of new games, from production through launch, rather than an official promise from the company.

Grand Theft Auto VI is Rockstar Games’ next title, set in the fictional state of Leonida. It is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.