GTA 6 Creators Wait to Play Rockstar's Long-Awaited Blockbuster
As Grand Theft Auto 6 approaches its launch, co-creator Dave Jones and writer Brian Baglow reveal they have not played the upcoming game.
Even the original minds behind Grand Theft Auto have not received special access to play the upcoming Rockstar Games blockbuster ahead of its release. As the gaming industry builds toward the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 following a 13-year wait and multiple delays, co-creator Dave Jones and original writer Brian Baglow admitted they are waiting just like everyone else to experience the next chapter in the nearly 30-year-old franchise.
“We're all waiting to see what they've done,” Dave Jones said, sitting alongside Brian Baglow. When asked if either had managed to play the new title early, Baglow shook his head, noting that he had secured his copy through a standard pre-order.
The Scottish Roots of a Global Phenomenon
The franchise traces its origins back to 1997 in Dundee, Scotland, where a small team at DMA Design developed the original top-down 2D title. Initially conceived as a racing game called Race'n'Chase following the studio's success with Lemmings, the developers wanted to introduce a unique gameplay mechanic. According to Jones, the breakthrough came from allowing players to leave vehicles, steal other cars, and navigate the open world on foot.
While the team initially explored letting players choose between acting as a criminal or a police officer, Jones explained that adhering strictly to the law proved less entertaining. “At some point we just said, you know what, it's way more fun playing the bad guy, so that's what the game was about,” he noted. Early sales proved to be a slow burn, relying heavily on organic word-of-mouth recommendations from players.
Controversy over the game's violent themes eventually sparked debates and calls for a ban in the UK Parliament, though much of the early noise was driven by publisher BMG Interactive as part of a viral marketing campaign. Despite its basic 2D graphics, the original title established the satirical tone and intricate world-building that continue to define the series.
As anticipation peaks, platforms including PlayStation and Xbox report that the title has broken digital store records for pre-orders. With a massive file size of 212GB prompting widespread pre-loading, experts like Guardian video games editor Keza MacDonald view the release as a vital boost for the broader gaming sector. Reflecting on the journey, Baglow shared that watching global audiences embrace the franchise over the past 29 years has been entirely joyful.