Rockstar hasn’t officially said anything about GTA 7 yet, but one of its former pillars may have just revealed the info that everyone has been waiting for. Where will the next cult episode of Grand Theft Auto take place? A former technical director of the saga gave a response that was as frustrating as it was revealing, years before the game’s probable release.
While GTA 6 will be released on November 19, 2026the industry is already buzzing with the first speculations about GTA 7. And this time, they don’t come from dubious leaks or obscure forums, but from a developer who knows the house from the inside: Obbe Vermeijformer technical director at Rockstar North, notably in charge of Vice City, San Andreas or even GTA 4.
A confirmed return… to the United States
From GTA: London in 1999the Grand Theft Auto franchise has rooted itself in fictionalized versions of major American cities. GTA 6 is no exception to the rule with Vice City And Leonidadirectly inspired by Miami and of Florida. And according to Obbe Vermeij, this pattern will not change with GTA 7.
Asked by the site GamesHubVermeij couldn’t have been clearer: “It’s just not realistic. I would love it, and if the games took another year to develop, then yes, why not, we could have a little fun, but that’s not possible with a GTA every 12 years. You’re not going to set it in a new place. It’s not even necessary, because technology evolves so much. Nobody is going to say that they won’t play GTA 6 because he already played Vice City. It doesn’t make any sense. They’ll go back to New York. They’ll go back to Los Angeles or maybe Las Vegas. We’ll have to get used to it.”
A choice dictated by technology… and profitability
The argument put forward by the former technical director is simple: developing a GTA now takes over a decadeand each frame change represents a huge cost in production resources. Starting from scratch abroad would further complicate an already titanic formula to manage.
Rockstar therefore seems to have found a winning formula, whether it is gameplay mechanicsof theAmerican urban atmosphereorcommercial exploitation of an open world inspired by the most iconic cities of the United States.
Clearly, the future of GTA may not lie in the unknown, but in the comfort of a familiar landscape.
GTA 6 first, GTA 7 can wait (a long time)
As a reminder, GTA 6 has not yet been released. The game is expected on November 19, 2026, unless further postponement. And if Rockstar follows the same rhythm as for GTA 5 And GTA Onlineplayers can expect massive exploitation for several years before a sequel sees the light of day.
So GTA 7 to new York, Los Angeles Or Las Vegas ? It’s likely. But above all, fans will have to be patient: according to Vermeij, we are talking about a game that will not arrive before 2040. At this stage, the hope of a GTA in Rome or Seoul is likely to remain a sweet dream.