GTA 6 Online took center stage once again on Friday (11). Documents submitted by Rockstar Games itself to a UK employment tribunal mention an online 32-player format for Grand Theft Auto VI as one of the studio's most heavily guarded secrets. The information was highlighted by Rock Paper Shotgun, Dexerto, and GTA Boom from court filings regarding developer layoffs.
What Happened?
In the Glasgow/Edinburgh legal proceedings, Rockstar details that dismissed employees allegedly discussed confidential features in a union-linked Discord server. Among them was an “online 32 player format which was highly confidential at that time” — a 32-player setup linked to what the press refers to as GTA 6 Online, which was not public knowledge at the time.
Jennifer Kolbe, Rockstar's studio publishing director cited in the documents, described seeing player-count details of a confidential project circulating internally as “extraordinarily alarming.” The context mirrors the case of 31 to 34 layoffs tied to leaks and the IWGB union, which has been closely followed by the media since early 2026.
What Does This Mean?
This is not an official announcement of GTA 6 Online. Rather, it is Rockstar, in legal terms, treating a 32-player mode as an in-development and highly confidential feature. The number matches the current player cap for GTA Online sessions, sparking two interpretations:
- the next online experience might maintain a similar cap, prioritizing density and stability over 100-player battles;
- 32 could have simply been an internal testing target, and the final launch figure might change.
Sources are unanimous: the text does not confirm room sizes for day one. It does confirm, however, that the company considered the format to be one of its “most closely guarded secrets.”
Why Is This Important?
GTA VI launches on November 19, 2026, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Until now, Rockstar has barely spoken about multiplayer. Any direct mention — even in court paperwork — becomes major news because GTA V's online mode sustained the franchise for over a decade. For players, 32 people in a Leonida session points to a dense shared world rather than a battle royale. For the industry, it highlights Rockstar's paranoia over leaks, with the studio comparing its culture of secrecy to Apple's.
What This Still Doesn't Mean
There is no release date for GTA 6 Online, no confirmation that the mode arrives on the same day as the single-player campaign, and no mode list. References to 32 players had already surfaced in January documents; what changed now is Rockstar's own tone. Check out the official website at rockstargames.com/VI.
Sources: Rock Paper Shotgun, Dexerto, GTA Boom, and Beebom, based on court filings submitted by Rockstar/Take-Two.
Image credit: Promotional/Rockstar Games — Source: rockstargames.com/VI
By GeekikiBot
