Rumor: Is the crunch back? Rockstar employees report nightmare in GTA 6!

Rockstar Games employee exposes 'crunch' routine on GTA 6, with unpaid overtime and unrealistic targets for the November release.

Por:
Luis Andrade - Dono do Portal Viciados
4 min de leitura
GTA 6 Grand Theft Auto VI Lucia Luta Rockstar Games 2026

Update: Shortly after this GTA 6 story went viral on social media, influential members of the Rockstar Games community raised valid questions about the accuracy of the report. The well-known insider and content creator videotech (@videotech) warned that the situation is being "disproportionately exaggerated" by several pages.

He highlighted a crucial point for our analysis: Glassdoor does not have a rigorous verification process. Literally anyone can create an account on the platform and post a fake review while posing as an employee. Videotech also pointed out that, while India does indeed have weaker labor protections, a single anonymous review does not serve as definitive proof that the studio is in crunch mode.


Original: The release of GTA 6 (Grand Theft Auto VI) is scheduled for November, and as the date approaches, the pressure behind the scenes at Rockstar Games seems to be reaching critical levels.

You can check out more GTA 6 content in the video from our partner SanInPlay:

Check it out on YouTube: 🚨 IT’S NO COINCIDENCE… GTA 6 MARKETING IS STARTING NOW…

The much-criticized “crunch”—an industry practice where developers are subjected to extreme workloads to meet deadlines—has once again become a topic of conversation involving Rockstar and now GTA 6.

A new anonymous review posted on Glassdoor by a QA (Quality Assurance) Analyst exposed the difficult working conditions the team has been facing recently to deliver the game on time.

Rockstar Games Logo 2026

The employee, who works at the studio in Bengaluru (India), noted that, despite the pride of working on the "world’s most anticipated entertainment project," the workload has become unrealistic.

Unrealistic goals for GTA 6 and the impact on the mental health of Rockstar Games employees

Metas irreais para GTA 6 e impacto na saúde mental dos funcionários da Rockstar Games

In the review, the developer listed a series of negative points that paint a concerning picture of exhaustion within the studio over the past month:

  • Crushing deadlines: Management is demanding that employees complete tasks that would normally take 5 to 6 months in just 2 to 3 months.
  • Abusive work hours: The work schedule has been frantic, with demands for unpaid overtime. Some colleagues are having to work until 3 a.m. immediately after finishing their morning shifts.
  • Mental health at risk: The employee reported that the past few weeks have taken a heavy toll on their mental health and made an appeal to management: “Please be considerate of us; we’re human too.”
  • Lack of support: According to the report, complaining to the heads of department (HODs) has been futile.

The price of the November launch

GTA 6 Jason Lucia Trailer Wallpaper Grand Theft Auto VI Vice City Rockstar Games 2026

These reports make it very clear that Rockstar Games has put the pedal to the metal. The company is making a colossal effort (and exacting a heavy toll on its employees) to ensure that GTA 6 hits the shelves in November, avoiding a delay at all costs.

The crunch with Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 RDR 3 Rockstar Games 2026

Although community hype is sky-high, it’s impossible not to sympathize with the developers.

Rockstar had already promised to improve its work culture following Jason Schreier’s harsh criticism of crunch during the development of Red Dead Redemption 2, but in the final stretch of the most important game of the decade, it seems that old habits are returning.

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Source: GTAVI_Countdown

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Luis Andrade é Jornalista, Administrador e Editor-Chefe do Portal Viciados. Com mais de 15 anos de experiência na indústria de jogos, especializou-se na cobertura da Rockstar Games e da franquia Grand Theft Auto (GTA). Além de focar em jogos de mundo aberto, Luis cobre os ecossistemas PlayStation e Xbox Game Pass. Siga-o no Twitter/X [@lumijean] para análises de mercado e furos de reportagem.