It was recently revealed that Rockstar has issued a mandate to its employees stressing that they must return to the office for a full five days a week from April onwards. This is due to Grand Theft Auto 6 entering its ‘final stages of development’ and is an effort to ensure productivity and security remain as tight as possible ahead of the impending launch of the game – which is still scheduled for 2025.
The Old Ways
For years, tech-focused companies have toyed with remote work in several ways, with some ultimately pivoting and having their workforce work from home permanently. Most have stuck with a hybrid model, which is what Rockstar opted for – but now, developers at the firm will need to return to the office five days a week as GTA 6 starts to get polished.
In a statement picked up by Bloomberg, Rockstar’s Head of Publishing, Jenn Kolbe, wrote:
Making these changes now puts us in the best position to deliver the next Grand Theft Auto at the level of quality and polish we know it requires, along with a publishing roadmap that matches the scale and ambition of the game.
In Bloomberg’s report, it was mentioned that the company has identified tangible benefits of working in person alongside other developers, which is a common topic among leadership teams trying to justify on-site work. There are hopes within Rockstar that pushing for this mandate will allow the company to keep a tight lid on GTA 6 going forward, avoiding any more leaks or breaches.
Most recently, the first trailer for GTA 6 was leaked mere hours before it was due to drop globally. It turned out to be a monumental moment for gamers regardless, as the official video racked up hundreds of millions of views in a dramatically short time.
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