How long did it take to make GTA 5: A brief history of the game's developmental cycle

Grand Theft Auto 5 is the longest-running and most profitable game in the GTA franchise. While Rockstar Games released it in September 2013, the popularity of the title is still growing every year. It was one of the most-awaited projects of its time that kept fans in the loop for years. However, the previous wait time seems much more reasonable compared to the upcoming game.

Many fans are unaware of the game’s early period as they joined the community after its release. This article briefly explains the history of GTA 5 and how long the OG fans had to wait for it.

Note: Some parts of this article are subjective and only reflect the writer's opinions.

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Rockstar Games took five years to finish and release GTA 5

Although it sounds like nothing compared to how much we’ve already waited for a GTA 6 trailer, Grand Theft Auto 5 took half a decade to arrive at the stores. According to various reports, the game’s production began in 2008, immediately after the release of Grand Theft Auto 4.

In a 2013 interview, Leslie Benzies, the president of Rockstar North at the time, stated that the full production took three years to complete. The other subsidiaries involved in developing Grand Theft Auto 5 are - Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar Lincoln, Rockstar London, Rockstar New England, Rockstar San Diego, and Rockstar Toronto.

Rockstar Games announced Grand Theft Auto 5 in late 2013 (Image via Sportskeeda)

Immediately after the completion of the production, the studio shared the above tweets, officially announcing the game in 2011. However, Rockstar took two more years to bring the game into the stores.

The American gaming studio initially aimed to release GTA 5 during the spring of 2013. However, it delayed the event to fall 2013, stating that the game needed more polishing. Finally, on September 17, 2013, the latest Grand Theft Auto game was released.

During this 10-year cycle, Rockstar Games has ported and re-released the game multiple times. It is one of the longest-running video game titles, expanding over three console generations. The following is a brief overview of all the releases of GTA 5:

1. PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 - September 13, 2013
2. PlayStation 4, Xbox One - November 18, 2014
3. PC - April 14, 2015
4. PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S - March 15, 2022

The PlayStation 4/Xbox One and PC versions received a major overhaul from the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 version. Rockstar Games added improved graphics, new vehicles, quality-of-life changes, and more content to the game. However, the Expanded and Enhanced version on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only received minor improvements compared to previous re-releases.

It is also worth noting that the studio had been developing Grand Theft Auto: Online along with GTA 5. The multiplayer version was released worldwide on October 1, 2013.