GTA 6 was originally Project Americas and covered “big swaths” of country’s north and south, Rockstar reveals, in interview tackling crunch, delays, and leaks

Rockstar Games has revealed that Grand Theft Auto 6 was originally codenamed “Project Americas” and was envisioned to be significantly larger in scope than its current form. According to a Bloomberg interview with Rockstar, when a small team led by Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson traveled to Miami in 2015 to begin initial research and planning, the developers aspired to create a game spanning large swaths of land across both North and South America.

However, Rockstar ultimately scaled back the ambitious geographic scope, opting instead to concentrate the game’s setting around Miami and its surrounding areas, represented as Vice City. Despite this reduction in scope, the final map remains substantial—reportedly three times larger than the map in Rockstar’s 2018 title, Red Dead Redemption 2.

The Bloomberg interview also discussed other significant aspects of GTA 6’s extended development, including the 2023 game leak that temporarily halted progress, subsequent trailer releases, and the challenges contributing to delays. The report noted that Rockstar has established a dedicated Los Angeles studio focused solely on NPC creation, reflecting the company’s commitment to achieving ambitious quality standards despite the extended development timeline.

Sources

• GTA 6 was originally Project Americas and covered “big swaths” of country’s north and south, Rockstar reveals, in interview tackling crunch, delays, and leaks
• GTA 6 Could Have Been Even Bigger And Released Years Sooner, But Then These Things Happened
• GTA 6 Originally Featured Large Areas of North and South America