Ex-Rockstar Dev: Layoffs Aren't the Real Threat to GTA 6

Ever wonder what really keeps a developer up at night when they're working on a game as huge as GTA 6? According to one former Rockstar designer, it's not the fear of layoffs—it's the pressure to deliver.

Jérémy Hartvick, who worked on Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 6 before leaving Rockstar in 2020, shared his thoughts on the Kiwi Talkz podcast. He said that at Rockstar, money was never the issue when it came to staffing. "I never heard the question of, we need to see if we need to downsize, or if we can afford it. Rockstar can afford it," he explained. Instead, the question was always about meeting expectations. "The question is whether you can meet the expectations, and if you don't, then you might not last," he added. "But otherwise it's not a question of money."

That's not too surprising given Rockstar's track record. Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 have been selling like crazy since launch—GTA 5 even charted in the top five digital games for PS5 in Europe this September. Plus, GTA Online and Red Dead Online bring in steady revenue through microtransactions, with dedicated communities that keep spending. So yeah, Rockstar isn't hurting for cash.

As for Hartvick's own departure, he pointed to personal reasons. He's from continental Europe but was living in Scotland to work at Rockstar North's Edinburgh office, and the intense workload made it hard to be there for his family. "The quantity of work made it more difficult to be present there," he said. He also mentioned that GTA 6 was still years away when he left—eight years, in hindsight—and he wasn't sure he wanted to commit to such a long haul.

But let's not paint too rosy a picture. Despite the financial security, Rockstar is currently in the middle of an employment tribunal after letting go of a number of staff last year for allegedly spurious reasons. At the end of the day, Rockstar is still a corporation, just like EA, Activision, and any other major publisher. The difference is they have deeper pockets—but that doesn't mean they're immune to criticism.

So while layoffs might not be the immediate danger for Rockstar, the pressure to live up to the massive hype for GTA 6 is very real. And with the game reportedly costing the US economy up to $1 billion due to sick days, the stakes couldn't be higher.

What do you think? Is Rockstar's biggest challenge meeting expectations, or are there other risks lurking? Let us know in the comments!