Even Grand Theft Auto's Original Creators Haven't Played GTA 6

After thirteen years of waiting, multiple delays, and several high-profile leaks, the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 is generating unprecedented anticipation worldwide. With Rockstar Games keeping the next chapter of the nearly thirty-year-old franchise strictly under wraps, even the individuals who built the original game are not receiving special treatment. Dave Jones, the co-creator of the original title, admits that he and his former colleagues are eagerly waiting to see what the current developers have achieved. Alongside Brian Baglow, the original game's writer and publicist, Jones reflects on how the historic franchise began.

The original Grand Theft Auto debuted in 1997 in Dundee, Scotland, developed by a relatively small team at DMA Design. Originally conceived as a racing game called Race 'n' Chase following the success of Lemmings, the developers wanted to introduce a unique twist. That innovation involved letting players leave their vehicles, steal other cars, and run around on foot, combining several gaming elements into one experience. The team briefly considered allowing players to act as police officers, but ultimately decided that playing the criminal was far more entertaining.

Even the original creators of Grand Theft Auto must wait to play the upcoming GTA 6 release.

Despite its creative design, the original game experienced slow initial sales before word of mouth drove massive popularity. Its themes of crime and violence sparked early controversy and debates in the UK Parliament, though much of the commotion turned out to be a viral marketing stunt by publisher BMG Interactive. The top-down 2D game established the foundational blueprint for the franchise's signature satire, poking fun at hyper-capitalist and hyper-individualist aspects of society through fake brand names and radio stations.

Why it matters

As the next installment in the series, Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to become the largest video game release in history. This milestone highlights the extraordinary evolution of interactive entertainment over the past three decades, reflecting how a modest Scottish studio's experimental project grew into a global cultural phenomenon that continues to captivate millions of players globally.