Grand Theft Auto VI developer Rockstar North was reportedly rocked by an explosion at its Edinburgh, Scotland headquarters this morning, January 19. The incident was apparently tied to a malfunction in the studio’s boiler room.
According to Scottish outlet The Herald, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) was alerted to an emergency at Rockstar North after an alarm was raised at 5:02 a.m. local time. Seven emergency vehicles were dispatched, and firefighters worked to secure “structural damage” to the building. After three hours, the SFRS deemed the area safe and left the building around 9:21 a.m. No casualties were reported.
Rockstar North building
A Rockstar representative speaking to GameIndustry.biz and other outlets suggested that the structural damage was minimal and confirmed that the studio is “open and operational.” The representative also stated that the incident was 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,” said Rockstar’s spokesperson.
Rockstar North is currently working on Grand Theft Auto VI, set to release on November 19 after years of anticipation and a couple of delays. While legions of fans await the game’s launch with bated breath, we’re just happy that none of Rockstar’s employees appear to have been harmed by could have been a much more dangerous situation.