Rockstar Games’ long-awaited sequel to GTA 5, Grand Theft Auto 6, will be released next year after being delayed. Years of hype, multiple leaks, and a dearth of official updates from the developer have made Grand Theft Auto 6 perhaps the most anticipated game of all time. It’s expected to be the biggest game launch ever, and Rockstar Games thinks so. The studio seems confident in GTA 6’s prospects, predicting the game’s launch will be the “biggest” in history.
The studio is reportedly looking for a lead software engineer for its data engineering team, the studio said in a job posting on its website. In a now-deleted paragraph describing the position, Rockstar said the candidate would be responsible for supporting the data platform launching Grand Theft Auto 6.
Rockstar reportedly said in the listing (via @TheGTABase): “With the continued growth of Grand Theft Auto Online and the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6, the successful candidate will lead the development and operations of the data platform to support the largest game launch in history, ensuring it scales to deliver a superior experience for millions of players around the world.”
This paragraph appears to have been removed from the current version of the job listing. However, it can be seen in an archived version of the webpage from September 14th.
“The largest entertainment conference”
Since GTA 6 was announced in December 2023, market analysts have claimed that the game could eventually become one of the biggest entertainment products of all time. In early January this year, the Financial Times quoted video game market research company DFC Intelligence as saying that pre-orders for “Grand Theft Auto 6” alone may exceed US$1 billion (approximately Rs. 8,577 crore). GTA 6 is expected to generate revenue of $3.2 billion (approximately Rs. 27,450 crore) in the first 12 months of its launch.
The report states that “Grand Theft Auto 6” will become the largest entertainment production in 2025, surpassing the year’s top-grossing movies and other media releases. Of course, that didn’t happen, as the game was postponed to 2026.
In the same report, IDG Consulting, another gaming-focused consulting firm, claimed that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be one of the biggest launches ever across all media formats.
“We think this is going to be one of the biggest entertainment product launches in history, not just in games but across all media,” IDG Consulting CEO Yoshio Osaki told the Financial Times at the time. “The pent-up demand is greater than anything we’ve seen before.”
Lucia Caminos is one of the two protagonists of GTA 6
Image source: Rockstar Games
In fact, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive, also said that expectations for GTA 6 are greater than any other entertainment product. “The anticipation for this title is probably the greatest I’ve ever seen for the entertainment industry, and I’ve been around the block several times and I’ve been involved in all things entertainment,” Zelnick said in April.
In May of this year, Rockstar Games delayed GTA 6 from its original fall 2025 release window to May 26, 2026. “Our entire team is honored by the interest and excitement in the new Grand Theft Auto. We would like to thank you for your support and patience as we work to complete the game,” the developer said when announcing the delay.
“Our goal with every game we release is always to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception.”
After announcing a delay, Rockstar Games has released the second trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, sparking a collective frenzy online. The record-breaking trailer has since been viewed more than 131 million times. Rockstar said the game’s second trailer was the “largest video launch ever,” with more than 475 million views across different social media platforms in one day.
