New GTA 6 Leak Reveals Original Storyline Concepts

Image credit: GTA6/Rockstar Games/Take 2

A newly surfaced leak has shed light on the early story concepts of Grand Theft Auto VI, revealing multiple ambitious scripts that were ultimately scrapped — including one deemed “too dark” by publisher Take-Two Interactive. These revelations, stemming from a report by French journalist Fravilys and based on information from a former Rockstar Magazine editor, offer a fascinating look into the creative evolution behind Rockstar Games’ next flagship title.

While Rockstar Games officially announced that GTA 6 would feature dual protagonists — Jason and Lucia, that wasn’t always the plan. Early drafts painted a much grittier, more dramatic picture.

According to the report, the first version of GTA 6, which had the internal codename Project Americas, was in development from around 2014 to late 2016. This concept followed three protagonists: an aging Vice City police officer, his drug-addicted son, and the ambitious right-hand man of a Colombian drug lord. The storyline was meant to explore moral decline, as the officer slowly descended into organized crime to protect his son from the dangers of addiction and cartel violence.

However, Take-Two reportedly found the concept "too dark" for the franchise’s tone and scrapped it. This led to the first of several rewrites, each bringing major changes to the cast and overall story structure.

The first reboot moved away from the grim father-son dynamic and introduced two new protagonists. One was a young police officer seeking revenge for her father’s murder by infiltrating Vice City’s criminal underworld. Her counterpart was a quirky underling in a drug smuggling operation, drawing comparisons to Trevor from GTA V due to his erratic and chaotic nature. Despite having a more balanced tone, this version also failed to meet Take-Two’s expectations and was canceled in mid-2018.

A second reboot was attempted soon after, this time with a former soldier — an African-American man released from prison — taking center stage. His story would again plunge into the criminal world, with familiar gameplay elements carried over from the earlier drafts replacing the woman officer. However, this concept also didn’t survive for long and was reportedly shut down by March 2019.

Following the string of rejections, Rockstar’s longtime creative lead Dan Houser, who had co-founded the studio in 1998 and penned many of its iconic titles, decided to step away. Exhausted from years of development setbacks and internal disagreements with Take-Two, he took a sabbatical in March 2019 and later resigned officially in March 2020. As per Take-Two’s statement at the time, Houser’s last day at Rockstar was March 11, 2020.

The departure of Houser, a pivotal figure in Rockstar’s storytelling legacy, was a significant moment. Developers reportedly learned about his resignation through the same public announcement as the rest of the world. His exit left a creative void and marked a shift in how Rockstar would operate going forward — with the remaining leadership, including Sam Houser, opting for a more collaborative approach to creative direction.

After multiple attempts and internal restructuring, Rockstar finally locked in a fourth and current version of the story by late 2019. This iteration introduces two protagonists: Jason, a former soldier drawn into the criminal underworld, and Lucia, a Latina-American from Liberty City who begins her journey after being released from prison. Their dynamic is designed to reflect a modern take on the infamous criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde.

Development on this approved version of GTA 6 officially began in early 2020. However, things haven't been smooth sailing. The game has experienced multiple delays, with its release now scheduled for May 26, 2026. Still, fan excitement remains high, and speculation continues to swirl as new trailers, character details, and leaked reports feed the hype.

Interestingly, Dan Houser has since gone on to establish his own studio, Absurd Ventures, in 2021 — only now, he’s doing it on his own terms, free from corporate limitations.