The internal codename reported for Grand Theft Auto V during development was Rush.
Rush was not a public title but a project name that surfaced through casting and production-related materials before Rockstar officially announced Grand Theft Auto V. Using a neutral codename helped keep the project confidential while actors and contractors were being recruited.
Rockstar North began developing the game around 2008, shortly after Grand Theft Auto IV. Rockstar announced Grand Theft Auto V on 25 October 2011, revealing its Southern California-inspired setting and later focusing on three protagonists: Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips.
Rush is sometimes confused with Grand Theft Auto Online, but the names refer to different parts of the project. Grand Theft Auto V launched in September 2013, while its online multiplayer component followed shortly afterward and became a long-running standalone service.