The first GTA 6 script was so dark that it was rewritten three times!
The first GTA 6 storyline was too dark – Take-Two executives were afraid to release such a game
Many gamers consider Vice City to be one of their favorite GTA games. Therefore, a return to Vice City and its surroundings was only a matter of time. Take-Two Interactive’s management liked the idea of creating a modern version of the city.
Hauser’s first synopsis looked like a dark detective story with elements of a thriller! There were three main characters in the game:
- An old cop from Vice City. Previously an incorruptible officer, he gradually sank into the darkness of organized crime. To protect his son, he was forced to cooperate with gangsters, but then he himself got into a dangerous situation.
- The cop’s son. A very religious guy of Latin American descent. He is a drug addict who is trying to kick his habit and break ties with the world of drug trafficking .
- The right-hand man of a Colombian drug lord. He controls drug imports into the US via Vice City. His goal is to establish his own drug empire in North America.
This scenario was developed until the end of 2016, when Take-Two Interactive rejected the overly harsh plot.
The GTA 6 script was rewritten two more times
Rockstar left the core of the game unchanged (locations and game mechanics), but everything else had to be reworked to suit Take-Two.
The second version of the game turned out to be less dark, and the number of main characters was reduced to two:
- A female police officer. The daughter of a cop from Vice City who was killed in the line of duty, she dreams of avenging her father. She infiltrates local criminal circles in order to destroy them once and for all. But the heroine does this illegally and without notifying her superiors, while continuing to work for the police.
- A subordinate of a major drug dealer. He is as crazy as Trevor from GTA V. As the game progresses, he rises from the bottom to the top of the criminal world.
- The plot reboot took 18 months to complete. In mid-2018, it was rejected again by Take-Two bosses.
The third attempt to rewrite the script lasted only a few months. It is known that the storyline was somewhat similar to the second version, but few details are available:
- The grief-stricken female police officer was replaced by an African American man. A former soldier is released from prison and quickly finds himself in the criminal world.
- Take-Two was again dissatisfied with the new version, and the synopsis was shelved in March 2019.
Hauser felt morally and physically exhausted after years of trying to create the perfect script. Creative differences with Take-Two escalated into tension between the campaigns, and Dan eventually grew tired and left the company he had worked for since 1998. The departure of one of the Houser brothers was a blow to the staff, as many considered him an essential part of the studio’s identity.
The creative banner of GTA 6 was taken up by Sam Houser, Dan’s younger brother and one of the main architects of Rockstar Games’ success. Sam and Dan worked together for many years to create the Grand Theft Auto series.
This time, everything worked out: Take-Two approved the fourth version of the script at the end of 2019. The main characters are a couple in love.
- The game’s plot is inspired by the fate of Bonnie and Clyde, the most famous couple of criminals and bank robbers in American history.
- Jason is a former soldier. To start his life with a clean slate, he joined the army, and then (as in the third version of the script) became part of the criminal world. Jason works for local drug couriers and does what he does best. But in this version, it’s not the guy who gets out of prison, but his girlfriend;
- Lucia is a Latina from Liberty City. Her life is a constant struggle. Her attempts to help her family led her to a correctional colony. She only managed to get out thanks to luck.
Lucia dreams of a comfortable life, the kind her mother dreamed of in Liberty City. Instead of fantasizing, she is ready to take matters into her own hands. Jason seems like the kind of guy who could change her life for the better.
The game will be released on May 26, 2026. There is no mention of a PC release yet, so PC gamers will probably have to wait a little longer.