GTA 6 Started Life as "Project Americas," Rockstar Reveals

Rockstar Games has revealed that Grand Theft Auto 6 was not always known by its current name internally. In an interview, the studio said the project began under the codename Project Americas, a title that hints at the scale the developers had in mind from the start.

According to the interview, the game was meant to cover big swaths of the country, spanning both its northern and southern regions. That ambition fits the series' long-running habit of expanding its virtual worlds with each new entry. The source material does not say how the map or setting would have been laid out in that early plan.

The same conversation also addressed the subjects that have shadowed the project for years: crunch, delays, and leaks. Rockstar's development schedule has been among the most closely watched in gaming, with the release date moving several times, and a 2022 leak of early gameplay footage added to the pressure on the team. The specifics of what Rockstar said on those topics are not part of the item this article is based on, so readers who want the studio's full account should look to the complete interview.

For players, the codename is a rare glimpse into how the game took shape before its public identity was set. Rockstar has been famously tight-lipped about development, which makes any official comment on the project's early direction worth noting as the launch approaches.