For years, the conversation around Grand Theft Auto 6 has revolved around one idea. When will it finally arrive? Yet a former Rockstar Games developer believes the more unsettling question comes after that. What happens next.

According to the veteran developer, the long wait for GTA 6 may not be an exception anymore. It could be the model. And if that is true, GTA 7 may already be caught in a cycle that slows the entire franchise.

The warning is not rooted in rumor or online speculation. It is based on how modern AAA games are built, funded, and maintained.

The Cost of Perfection Has Changed Everything

Rockstar Games has always chased detail. That obsession defined earlier titles and helped the studio stand apart. However, the scale of modern open-world development has altered the equation.

Each generation now demands more systems, more realism, and more long-term support. Worlds must feel alive. NPCs need routines. Online modes must evolve for years. This is no longer a box-on-the-shelf business.

Fans may be surprised that ambition, not mismanagement, is the biggest obstacle. When a studio commits to pushing boundaries, timelines stretch almost automatically.

Why GTA 6 Took So Long

The gap between GTA V and GTA 6 is unprecedented for the series. More than a decade passed. During that time, Rockstar did not stand still.

GTA Online became a platform rather than a mode. Updates, events, and monetization extended the game’s lifespan far beyond original expectations. That success reshaped internal priorities.

Moreover, technology evolved mid-development. New consoles arrived. Expectations shifted. Each adjustment added complexity.

This changes everything.

The Risk of a Self-Repeating Cycle

The former developer’s concern is simple. If every new GTA must outdo the last in scale and detail, development timelines will continue to expand.

In contrast to earlier eras, studios cannot easily reset scope. Players expect continuity. They expect progress. Cutting back feels like regression.

As a result, GTA 7 may inherit an impossible mandate. Bigger map. Smarter AI. Longer support. And all of it built on technology that will change again before release.

AAA Development Is Slowing Across the Industry

This is not a Rockstar-only problem. Major franchises across the industry now face longer gaps between releases. Budgets rival blockbuster films. Teams number in the thousands.

Delays are no longer viewed as failures. They are expected safeguards. Shipping early risks backlash that can damage a studio’s reputation for years.

Rockstar’s brand is built on polish. Compromising that image would be costly.

Can Rockstar Break the Pattern?

There are ways forward. Modular development. Smaller standalone experiences. Parallel teams working on different projects. However, each solution introduces trade-offs.

Some fans speculate that Rockstar could rely more heavily on online expansions rather than numbered sequels. Others suggest a tighter focus on narrative rather than sheer scale.

None of these options are risk-free. The studio’s audience is enormous and vocal. Expectations are rarely modest.

What This Means for Players

For players, the message is uncomfortable but clear. Waiting may become the norm. A decade between entries might feel long now, yet it could become standard.

That does not mean creativity disappears. It shifts. More time is spent refining systems, not just adding content. Quality improves, but patience is required.

Some will argue the wait is worth it. Others will question whether any game can justify such gaps.

The Bigger Question Facing the Series

Grand Theft Auto has always reflected its era. Satire, technology, and culture shape every release. The risk today is that development cycles outgrow relevance.

When a game takes fifteen years to make, the world it comments on may no longer exist in the same form.

The former Rockstar developer’s warning is not pessimistic. It is pragmatic. Without structural change, the series could become trapped by its own success.

Whether Rockstar adapts or doubles down will define the future. Not just of GTA 7, but of blockbuster game development as a whole.