Former GTA 6 and Red Dead Redemption 2 designer says layoffs at Rockstar aren’t the real danger
By (Image credit: Rockstar)
Job cuts and reorganization have emerged as unfortunate trends in the industry recently. Just this week, BioWare was shut down by EA, amid Xbox eliminating 3,200 positions throughout the whole division. A location that appears more stable is Rockstar, which is preparing to unveil the monumental GTA 6, and at least one former developer there believes it’s in a stronger position than many.
“I never encountered the inquiry of whether we needed to downsize, or if we were capable of doing so. Rockstar has the resources,” Jérémy Hartvick, an open-world designer on Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 6 who departed Rockstar in 2020, shares during the Kiwi Talkz podcast.
“The inquiry is if you can fulfill the expectations, and if you fail, you may not endure,” he clarifies. “But otherwise, it’s not a matter of finances.”
#220 – Jérémy Hartvick Discusses GTA 6, RDR2, Rockstar, Mission Structure, Leadership – YouTube
I would certainly expect so, given the types of cash cows Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 have shown to be. Both have continuously moved copies since their release, with the former literally ranking in the top five digital games for the PS5 in Europe in September of this year.
That’s without even addressing GTA Online and Red Dead Online, each having sizable, devoted communities that generate even more revenue through fantastic microtransactions. There’s no lack of funds flowing into Rockstar. For his own departure, Hartvick points to a personal matter that required him to be nearer to home, as he hails from continental Europe and was residing in Scotland to work at Rockstar North’s Edinburgh location, along with the hefty workload.
“The level of effort made it tougher to be present there,” he reflects on his family. While he was pivotal in launching Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA 6 was still many years away at that time – eight years in hindsight – creating a situation where he pondered if he enjoyed that lengthy undertaking,
