GTA 6 to feature female protagonist for the first time with two lead characters

In a Bloomberg report about Rockstar’s studio culture, details of GTA 6’s protagonist have emerged.

GTA 6 may be years away, but a new report about the change in Rockstar Games’ workplace culture has revealed new information about the upcoming crime epic.

Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reports that the studio removed transphobic jokes from Grand Theft Auto V’s next-gen release, while also narrowing the gender pay gap for employees.

Schreier also reports that GTA 6 will star a pair of protagonists, influenced by Bonnie and Clyde. Of the two, one will be a female character, marking the first time the studio has made a woman playable in the game’s single-player component (players have been able to customize their own character in GTA Online).

GTA 6 developer Rockstar works to overhaul studio culture

According to Schreier’s report, the female protagonist will be a Latina character, and developers are “being cautious not to “punch down” by making jokes about marginalized groups”.

The title, reportedly codenamed Project Americas, had originally intended to portray large areas of both North and South America before plans were altered to move to focus on a fictional version of Miami.

The Bloomberg report also suggests that the developers are intending for GTA 6 to grow over time, releasing new missions and even additional cities on a regular basis. The hope amongst the studio is that this will lower the need for crunch.

Schreier also notes that one employee had lauded the progress made by the company, saying that it felt like a “boys’ club transformed into a real company”, while morale is higher across the studio.

The report also says that Cops ‘n’ Crooks, a mode for GTA Online, was canceled in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Summer 2020.