Whenever someone mentions the Grand Theft Auto series, one can't help but think of an alternative universe where GTA 6 exists and viral pandemics do not.

But for now, we have to look at Rockstar employee Emil Mujanovic for the most recent rumors on GTA 6.

On Mujanovic's ArtStation profile, he listed Senior Character Artist at Rockstar Games for an Unannounced Project as one of his roles.

The "unnanounced" project began in February 2020 and is ongoing today. Many believe it to be GTA 6.

There's some credence to this theory, as this wouldn't be the first time game artists were hired for "unnamed" projects that later turned out to be blockbuster hits.

At the same time, the former president of Rockstar North, Leslie Benzies, has been gearing up to compete with GTA 6. At his new studio, Build a Rocket Boy Games, Benzies raised $42 million for their upcoming outer space game, Everywhere, which is believed to be in direct competition with GTA 6.

There is some speculation that the $42 million in capital is actually meant for a different game that is closer in style to GTA 6, but there's no evidence of such a game being worked on.

So while this doesn't tell us when GTA 6 will actually be in our hands, it suggests its development is chugging along more quickly than you might expect.

Everywhere will supposedly give players the same open-world feel that’s so popular with GTA fans, and a former Rockstar employee also described Everywhere as "letting players create their own stories [and] their own personalities.” That sounds pretty reminiscent of GTA titles and especially GTA Online. 

Regardless of which game comes out on top, it's fair to guess that both will be redefining open world gaming for years to come.