New rumors suggest that Grand Theft Auto VI has faced numerous development setbacks since Dan Houser left Rockstar Studios. As one of the co-founders of the company and a primary writer for the Grand Theft Auto franchise, speculation has surrounded his departure since it occurred more than a year ago. The studio has remained tight-lipped about the next entry in the GTA series, and while the fact of its development is all but confirmed, the game has yet to be officially announced.

It has been several years since the first rumors about Grand Theft Auto VI first started to appear. GTA V was released in 2013, and the gap between the two titles is by far the longest period between releases in the history of the series. Leaks like Snoop Dogg's recent comments about Dr. Dre's involvement in a GTA project have added fuel to the rumors surrounding the title, and fans of the series have been eagerly awaiting any news of the next installment in the beloved franchise.

Related: GTA Trilogy: All PS5, Xbox Series X, & Nintendo Switch Differences

The new rumors reported by DSOGamingtranslated from a French video by fansite Rockstar Mag, suggest that Grand Theft Auto VI reset development entirely after Dan Houser left the company. Reportedly, publisher Take-Two originally planned to announce the game in 2020, but the turmoil surrounding the title has put the plan on hold. The leaks suggest that GTA VI faces far worse internal difficulty than any other project Rockstar has worked on before. DSOGaming sums up the issues by saying that "Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently in development hell." However, industry insider Tom Henderson disputed these claims, saying that this was speculation on the part of Rockstar Mag and the information has not been confirmed. Rockstar Mag's Chris Klippel responded to Henderson by clarifying that these statements were his opinion and nothing more.

Discussion around GTA VI has recently been reignited by the upcoming remaster of Grand Theft Auto: The TrilogyThe release of a remastered version of some of the most acclaimed games in the series has brought new scrutiny to the series, and fans have started to question when a new entry will finally be released. The new rumors, if true, imply that the next GTA game is still a long away from release.

As a primary writer for the single-player narratives in the GTA series, it was likely inevitable that Dan Houser's departure from Rockstar would cause changes in the identity of the franchise moving forward. The recent leaks are evidence that the studio is facing difficulties in finding that new identity for the next game. While fans of the series are impatient for the next installment — to the point of scouring the GTA Trilogy trailer for GTA VI release date clues — if the leaks prove to be true, it appears that it will be some time before any news about Grand Theft Auto VI is officially available.

Next: How Dan Houser & Lazlow's Departure Will Change GTA 6

Source: DSOGamingTom Henderson/TwitterChris Klippel/Twitter