Known for bucking industry trends, Rockstar Games is eschewing the norm by fully enforcing an in-office work policy across the board.
Rockstar Games is entering the final stages of Grand Theft Auto 6's development as it transitions from remote work arrangements.
The developer of Grand Theft Auto has mandated a return to the office for all employees, requiring them to work from the office five days a week starting in April.
As per Bloomberg, Rockstar's Publishing Head informed employees via email, with the decision driven by a blend of productivity concerns and security considerations.
The change is a significant shift from the work-from-home setup that became the norm across various industries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as the world returns to normal, companies are revisiting in-office work policies.
This mandate is a little more nuanced too, balancing the video game industry's notable flexibility with respect to remote work against the massive amounts of hype and related security concerns for the storyline and other assets of GTA 6. The decision comes in the wake of multiple security breaches Rockstar has faced, including a significant leak of in-development GTA 6 footage and its trailer.
Kolbe's email highlighted the tangible benefits of in-person work, emphasizing that it helps ensure the delivery of GTA 6 at the level of quality and polish Rockstar aims for. Kolbe also mentioned that this approach aligns with the game's ambitious publishing roadmap.
However, Rockstar's mandate is notably stringent, requiring full-time office attendance, which could lead to significant lifestyle changes for many employees.
Nevertheless, with GTA 6 already setting records ahead of its release, Rockstar's unique security concerns are valid, if not expected.
Take-Two Interactive, which owns Rockstar, has mentioned several times how GTA 6 will set a new creative benchmark in the entertainment industry. Although previous leaks didn't affect the game's development, neither Take-Two nor Rockstar are leaving anything to chance with this return to the traditional in-office setup.
GTA 6 is expected to be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X in 2025 with a PC port coming at a later date.
