Rockstar India QA Analyst Details 'Hectic' GTA 6 Crunch Ahead of November Launch

As Grand Theft Auto 6 nears its highly anticipated launch, a quality assurance analyst at Rockstar India has shared an anonymous review detailing what they describe as ‘hectic’ working conditions in the final months of development.

The review, posted on Rockstar Games’ Glassdoor page on May 1, paints a stark picture of the pressures facing the team in Bengaluru, India, as the studio races to meet the game’s scheduled release date of November 19.

‘Hectic’ Crunch and Unpaid Overtime Alleged

The QA analyst’s review highlights several concerns:

• Unpaid overtime: Employees are reportedly expected to work extra hours without compensation.
• Late-night shifts: Some team members have been required to work until 3 AM after completing their regular shifts.
• Accelerated deadlines: Tasks that typically take 5–6 months are being compressed into 2–3 months.

“They're expecting us to complete tasks that usually take 5-6 months in 2-3 months,” the analyst stated.

GTA 6’s Development Challenges

The pressure on Rockstar’s teams comes as GTA 6—a project nearly a decade in the making—faces intense scrutiny over its development costs, which have likely exceeded $2 billion. The game’s release was delayed twice last year, and the studio announced layoffs around the same period, adding to concerns about crunch culture.

The analyst acknowledged some positives in their review, noting that free meals are provided and that working on the title is a rare opportunity.

“You get to work on the most anticipated entertainment project in the world,” they wrote.

“I enjoyed working here in the previous year but the last few weeks have been a toll on my mental health. Please be lenient on us. We are humans too.”

Industry-Wide Concerns Over Crunch

Crunch culture has long been a contentious issue in the gaming industry, and Rockstar’s studios have faced repeated criticism over the years. With GTA 6 now just six months away from launch, the stakes have never been higher for the developer and its employees.