Earlier today, January 19, the Edinburgh headquarters of Rockstar North—the primary studio behind the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI—was the site of an explosion. Initial reports suggest the incident was triggered by a mechanical failure within the facility’s boiler room.
According to local reporting from The Herald, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) was summoned to the studio at 5:02 a.m. local time following an automated alarm. Seven emergency vehicles were dispatched to the scene, where firefighters conducted a rigorous assessment of potential “structural damage.” After securing the premises, the SFRS declared the building safe and cleared the area by 9:21 a.m. Thankfully, no casualties or injuries were reported.
A representative for Rockstar Games informed GamesIndustry.biz and other news outlets that the impact on the building was negligible and confirmed that the office remains “open and operational.” The spokesperson clarified that the disturbance was strictly caused by a “malfunction in one of the heating boilers.”
“Many thanks to those that reached out with concern, and also to the police and fire crews who were on scene quickly to assess the situation—please know that everyone is well and our studio remains open and operational,” Rockstar stated in an official comment.
Rockstar North is currently in the final stages of development for Grand Theft Auto VI, which is slated for a November 2026 release following several internal delays. While the global gaming community continues to wait for the next chapter in the blockbuster franchise, the primary relief remains the safety of the studio’s staff following what could have been a far more severe incident.
