Rockstar has been working on overhauling its workplace culture and as a result the next game in the series, GTA 6, will have its first ever female protagonist.
Popular action adventure game series Grand Theft Auto is going to do a first for its sixth installment GTA 6, and the reason has less to do with the game and more to do with publisher Rockstar wanting an image change. GTA 6, which is still a couple of years away from release, will feature the first ever female protagonist of the series. And according to reports, the addition of a female main character is part of Rockstar’s overhaul of its workplace culture to be more inclusive. So, how did a workplace overhaul lead to the game getting its first playable female character? Read on to find out.
According to a Bloomberg report, GTA 6 will have a latina protagonist that players can play as. It is unclear whether the character will be an addition to the trio of Michael, Trevor and Franklin from GTA V or will one of the older characters make way for the new female protagonist. But what the report suggests is that the decision is influenced by Rockstar’s in-house culture change.
GTA 6 to get its first ever female protagonist
Bloomberg reporter and the author of the article Jason Schreier shed more light on the situation yesterday through a couple of tweets. He said, “Rockstar’s overhaul started in 2018, when staff called out its culture of crunch, bullying, and frat-house antics. The company has ousted managers accused of abuse and promised to cut down on overtime. One employee calls it “a boys’ club transformed into a real company”,”.
Schreier also reported that as a part of becoming more inclusive and in tandem with modern times, Rockstar has been taking steps to improve its workspace as well as the message the company sends out. The company removed transphobic jokes from the most recent re-release of GTA V. It also canceled an online event called Cops ‘n’ Crooks after the George Floyd protests started in the USA. An extension of the same cultural upheaval, now players will see the first female playable character of the Grand Theft Auto series.
Schreier also revealed information about the production timeline of the upcoming game. He said, “Production on Grand Theft Auto VI has been slower than expected, largely due to the pandemic but also due to these changes, as employees grow accustomed to working at this new Rockstar. But many say morale is higher than ever and that the cultural changes are well worth it”.
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