It still comes as a surprise for many to learn that Grand Theft Auto, the brazenly American crime series that has been one of the world’s most popular and most controversial video games for the past 20 years, is mainly made in Scotland. But if you grow up in Edinburgh, developer Rockstar North is part of the background mythology of the place. Plenty of people passed through this studio at some point or another in the 2000s, as game testers or employees. As a student in Edinburgh at that time, I would hear rumours of wild parties at the executives’ houses, as decadent as those in the game. At a bar or a birthday or a housewarming, you might meet a guy who claimed to have come up with one of the puerile puns that grace the in-game businesses (eg Nutsaki, a Japanese restaurant, or the fried-chicken chain Cluckin’ Bell). Grand Theft Auto is now made by a huge team of nearly 5,000 people around the world but its central nervous system is still in Holyrood, in the shadow of…
Ten years, thousands of staff and a billion dollars: the exclusive inside story of Grand Theft Auto VI
In short
Developed primarily at Rockstar North's Holyrood headquarters in Scotland, the project represents more than a decade of work involving nearly 5,000 staff members worldwide. The narrative centers on criminal partners Jason and Lucia as they navigate Vice City, a neon-soaked parody of Miami situated within the fictional state of Leonida. While the debut trailer has already surpassed 300 million views on YouTube, Rockstar must simultaneously navigate a legal tribunal concerning the contested dismissals of dozens of employees.
Key points
- The broader video game industry is relying on the title's commercial debut to help counte…: The broader video game industry is relying on the title's commercial debut to help counter recent economic downturns.
- Rockstar North's Holyrood headquarters in Scotland serves as the primary development hub…: Rockstar North's Holyrood headquarters in Scotland serves as the primary development hub for the Miami-inspired Vice City setting.
- Head of publishing Jennifer Kolbe was required to give court testimony concerning allegat…: Head of publishing Jennifer Kolbe was required to give court testimony concerning allegations of retaliatory union-related dismissals.