GTA 6 Devs Had Freedom to Add Wild Details Like RDR2's Horse Balls

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at Rockstar while they're crafting the next blockbuster? According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, GTA 6's development was full of creative freedom—so much that not even the top brass knows every tiny detail in the game.

Schreier recently visited Rockstar North in Edinburgh and shared his findings in an 18-minute video. He explained that the team, who spent over a decade making GTA 6, had the autonomy to add features simply because they thought they'd be cool. "There's no one person that has this whole thing in their head," said Rockstar's Aaron Garbut. That means you'll likely be discovering new details in Vice City for years to come.

This approach isn't new for Rockstar. Remember Red Dead Redemption 2's horses? Their testicles had realistic physics and even shrank in cold weather. Garbut revealed that wasn't on any master list—someone just had the time and passion to make it happen. The same philosophy applies to GTA 6, so expect plenty of quirky, unexpected touches.

But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Schreier noted that Rockstar spent months, maybe years, trying to ditch the traditional weapon wheel for Jason and Lucia. They experimented with trays, webs, and UI overhauls, but ultimately went back to the classic wheel. The team also went through "dark moments" between 2019 and 2022, struggling to balance Red Dead's realism with GTA's arcade feel. Some designers left before the vision solidified in early 2023.

Despite the challenges, GTA 6 is now just one month away from its November 19, 2026 release. Some artists have been working on it since 2015—two years after GTA 5 launched—and even took trips to Miami to research Vice City. Rockstar has taken over Miami with marketing, including real-life cars from the game. With 13 years since the last GTA, the hype is real. Will you be picking this up on day one?