Stephen Bliss, the former Rockstar Games artist who helped establish Grand Theft Auto’s iconic visual style, has said he’s flattered to see elements of his original designs continue to appear in the cover art for GTA 6.
Speaking to IGN at Lucca Comics and Games, Bliss, who worked at Rockstar from 2001 to 2016, reflected on his contribution to the series and how his work continues to influence its visual identity, even a decade after his departure.
“Well, I looked at the GTA 6 cover, for example. I had nothing to do with that, but the fact they still use the box grid and they still put the helicopter in the top left corner, which was something that I developed, I’m flattered by that,” Bliss said. “It touches me that that heritage continues. And my influence is in the GTA 6 cover, but it’s its own language. I just have little references in there. I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s nice that they used that.’ But I’m absolutely not saying I contributed to that massively.”
Bliss was instrumental in establishing the comic book-inspired look of Grand Theft Auto’s promotional artwork, including the grid layout that has become synonymous with the franchise. However, he was also keen to emphasize the contributions of other Rockstar artists, including Anthony Macbain and Steven Olds.
Bliss explained that while he’s spent the past decade establishing his own artistic identity outside Rockstar, he remains grateful for his time working on the series and the impact it continues to have.
The full interview with Bliss also explores how the September 11 attacks influenced the GTA 3 cover art, and the creative challenges behind the distinctive visual styles of Vice City and San Andreas. Check it out here.
Rachel Weber is the Head of Editorial Development at IGN and an elder millennial. She’s been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, Red Dead Redemption 2, and her Love and Deepspace boyfriends.
