Rockstar's decision to return to the office is causing debate in the software development space, especially with the arrival of GTA 6.
GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games is reportedly ending hybrid work and requiring employees to return to the office full-time, with the goal of being "in the best position to deliver the next Grand Theft Auto at the level of quality and polish we know it demands, along with a release schedule that matches the scale and ambition of the game." This supposedly comes from an email to staff sent by publishing head Jenn Kolbe.
The report comes from Bloomberg, which reports that many Rockstar employees are unhappy with the decision. Some Rockstar employees have since tweeted about the news with less enthusiasm.
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Kolbe is rumored to have justified the move as a safety measure, while also citing “practical benefits” to working in person. Rockstar has reason to be concerned about security. GTA 6 has been the subject of frequent leaks – footage of a development build appeared online in September 2022, and Rockstar’s first GTA 6 trailer was “stolen” and aired with a big dirty Bitcoin ad the day before it was scheduled to run.
The outcome of remote work for productivity reasons is more debatable. While the situation varies between individuals and workplaces, there is a lot of evidence to show that remote or hybrid work makes people more productive, while also making jobs more accessible for people with disabilities.
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Rockstar’s plan to end hybrid work leaves employees who need or prefer to work remotely in a difficult position. When Activision tried the same thing with QA staff last year, the ABK Workers Alliance called it a “soft layoff” for anyone who can’t return to the office. There’s also the business view that managers want staff on-site simply because it makes them easier to exploit – Rockstar has a history of overworking projects, though it has taken steps in recent years to avoid this.
As for GTA 6, it's set to release in 2025, and Bloomberg's report suggests that the game is, indeed, in the final stages of development. Speculation continues about GTA 6's final release date (on consoles, that is). Ubisoft is of the opinion that it will release after April 2025.
Source of information: rockpapershotgun.com
