Evidence submitted in Rockstar’s ongoing legal dispute with fired workers in the U.K. suggests that Grand Theft Auto 6‘s online mode could feature 32-player lobbies. Few games in recent memory have received the same kind of attention as the repeatedly delayed sequel to one of the most popular titles of all time, but not all of that press has been positive. Plenty of controversy has surrounded the lead-up to Grand Theft Auto 6‘s release, but amid the scandal, some exciting details have leaked.
The court case in question began when the studio fired over 30 devs, mostly from Rockstar North’s Edinburgh headquarters, leading some to accuse the company of union-busting. All 31 of the terminated workers in the U.K. are a part of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which has now sued Rockstar over the move. As the lawsuit has proceeded, Rockstar has alleged that it fired GTA 6 devs for leaking unannounced game features, and new details about these allegations offer some insight into what fans could expect from the game.
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Messages from Fired GTA 6 Developers Mention 32-Player Lobbies
People Make Games was able to look at evidence from the court proceedings and share its findings in a January 13 YouTube video, which included mentions of 32-player lobbies in GTA 6. The number came up as IWGB members were discussing workloads and time off requests, and Rockstar alleges that by mentioning this figure, the employee in question had shared “highly confidential” information, including both the existence of an “unannounced online service” and “the specific number of players planned” for it. This response leaves little room for doubt that GTA 6 will have 32-player online lobbies unless Rockstar changes something between now and release. That may be lower than the 96-player lobbies an earlier GTA 6 rumor claimed would be in the game, but it’s still more than what GTA Online currently supports.
Lobbies in GTA 5‘s online mode can host 30 active players and two spectators, so these leaked GTA 6 Online figures wouldn’t be a huge upgrade. However, there’s always the chance that Rockstar could start small and expand things down the line. Some have already begun warning that GTA 6 Online could face day-one server issues as people flood to the platform after years of anticipation. Many AAA games do encounter early server problems, and the current iteration of GTA Online had an infamously rough start, so starting with just 32 players in each lobby could be a way to ensure a smoother rollout before upgrading the service down the line.
Other messages in the court filings may add credence to the idea that GTA 6 Online‘s servers could expand beyond 32 players. One fired employee said people called a QA session “difficult,” but that they’re “not sure how that was difficult” because it was just 32 players. That tone makes it sound like 32 is not a particularly large number in the context of GTA 6, which could mean devs are planning on bigger lobbies. Still, it could just as well mean 32 shouldn’t be a problem because GTA Online supports almost as much already. While it may be hard to determine these lobbies’ size right now, it does look like Rockstar wants the new online service to be a big improvement, with some fans thinking they’ve spotted GTA 6 features being tested in GTA Online after a recent update, potentially hinting at the removal of loading screens.
Whatever is in store for GTA 6 Online, the end of the long wait may finally be in sight. At least one former Rockstar dev is confident GTA 6 won’t be delayed again, and if that’s true, then there’s less than a year to go before it’s finally out.
- Released
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November 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+
