GTA 6 is among the most anticipated games of the decade, but new reports suggest its development has faced creative turmoil. An unofficial source claims that Take-Two, Rockstar Games' parent company, rejected three different versions of the storyline.
The successive rejections reportedly contributed to the departure of Dan Houser, one of the studio's founders and a key figure in the franchise's creation. The allegations stem from a Medium post by Fravilys, which reveals intriguing details about the creation process of GTA 6 and the challenges the creative team faced over the years.
First proposal: a police thriller with three protagonists
According to the source, the first draft of the script was developed by the end of 2016. The plot revolved around three main characters, in an investigation story with a suspenseful atmosphere. However, the company rejected the proposal as too dark and outside their commercial standards, despite the team's initial interest.
This refusal marked the beginning of a long and turbulent process, in which GTA 6's narrative underwent radical reformulations until it found a format acceptable to Take-Two executives.
Second attempt: cop versus criminal à la Trevor
With the first idea discarded, the team went for a new approach, this time focusing on two central characters. The story pitted a police officer against a drug cartel subordinate, described as as insane as Trevor from GTA V.
The team worked on this second project for about 18 months until Take-Two decided to cancel it. While Take-Two hasn't officially explained why, sources speculate that the narrative's tone and commercial potential once again influenced the decision.
Third script: African-American ex-soldier and organized crime
The third plot attempt maintained the two-protagonist structure. However, the police officer was replaced by an African-American ex-military man recently released from prison. The narrative explored his attempt to reintegrate into society and his subsequent immersion in the criminal underworld.
This version was shelved in March 2019. Shortly thereafter, Dan Houser temporarily stepped down from Rockstar and subsequently left his position as Vice President of Creative, ending a decades-long run at the helm of the franchise.
Impact on development schedule
This information explains why it took Rockstar so many years to finish GTA 6, if true. The constant shifting of creative directions may have delayed production and required significant investments in team restructuring and scope.
Although there's no official confirmation yet, the information released raises important questions about the industry's inner workings. Furthermore, the relationship between creators and parent companies, such as Take-Two, appears to have heavily influenced the direction of the story and the continued presence of key figures within the studio.
Some interpret Dan Houser's departure as a clear sign of tension between his creative vision and corporate demands. GTA 6, therefore, may carry not only the weight of being Rockstar's next major release, but also of representing a profound shift in the way the studio constructs its stories.
