Ex-Rockstar designer says money isn't the studio's real risk

Jérémy Hartvick, an open-world designer on Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 6 who left Rockstar in 2020, told the Kiwi Talkz podcast that finance-driven layoffs aren't the studio's main threat, GamesRadar+ reports. He said he never heard internal talk about whether the company needed to downsize, adding, "Rockstar can afford it." In his view, the real pressure is whether a team can live up to expectations.

Hartvick also explained his own exit. Family reasons pulled him back towards continental Europe from Rockstar North's Edinburgh office, and he said the sheer volume of work made it harder to be present at home. GTA 6 was still years from release when he left, and he weighed whether he wanted to commit to that long stretch.

GamesRadar+ points to the continuing sales of GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, plus their online modes, as the source of Rockstar's financial cushion. The outlet also notes the studio is in the middle of an employment tribunal over a number of staff it dismissed. The full piece is on GamesRadar+.