‘GTA 6’ release date: Rockstar Leeds looking for environment artist; Job posting might hint at game’s development phase

Rockstar has yet to announce that it’s making “GTA 6.” But the gaming community are all in agreement that the sixth entry for the franchise has been in development for some time.

Unfortunately, news about “GTA 6” has been scarce as Rockstar and Take-Two remains mum about the title. But hints about where the developers currently stand can be gleaned by the actions of the gaming studio.

For instance, Rockstar Leeds is currently looking for a talented environmental artist that “can create immersive, living, and fully-realized environments.” Although the job posting didn’t mention “GTA 6,” it’s safe to assume that it’s talking about the title since “GTA 5” is now approaching six years old.

GTA 6 might come out in 2021 or 2022

Take-Two chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick spoke with Gameindustry.biz and admitted that eight years is too long for a sequel to be released. This goes in line with rumors that “GTA 6” might come out sometime between 2021 and 2022 where next-gen consoles may already have hit the market.

Zelnick also provided some hints about the story mode of “GTA 6” and how they’re looking to shorten the story of its single-player campaign. Again, he didn’t single out “GTA 6” in his statement, but the overall sentiment is quite curious.

“It's possible that games may be a bit shorter than they were in certain instances. It's possible that the ability to deliver content on an ongoing basis for a long time after an initial release of a hit would mean that perhaps that initial release wouldn't be as long in terms of number of hours of gameplay as previously had been demanded in a world where that was all you were getting,” Zelnick explained. This could mean that the online version of “GTA 6” will likely be given more priority than its single-player, especially since microtransactions remain a lucrative business practice for titles in general.

GTA 6 and microtransactions

If proven true, this will undoubtedly anger the gaming community since microtransactions remain one of the most questionable business practices in the gaming industry. From EA to Activision, video game developers and publishers has pushed microtransactions forward despite thousands of gamers resisting it for years. Indeed, a U.S. senator has even taken a stand against loot boxes and any form it’s currently taking, deeming the practice as predatory and exploiting the addicting nature of gambling. Of course, this is merely speculation for now and “GTA 6” could come out as a title with extensive game time and compelling storyline.