Rockstar has delayed Grand Theft Auto 6 to May 26, 2026. It was due out fall 2025.
In a statement, Rockstar apologized for the significant delay to the game, expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time.
"We are very sorry that this is later than you expected," Rockstar said. "The interest and excitement surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team. We want to thank you for your support and your patience as we work to finish the game.
"With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.
"We look forward to sharing more information with you soon."
Rockstar's statement at least confirms the GTA 6 release date, but there were no new assets released, which means the wait for Trailer 2 continues. There's also no mention of launch platforms, which some are already speculating leaves the door open to GTA 6 releasing on PC as well as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S in May 2026.
"Look, there's always a risk of slippage and I think as soon as you say words like absolutely, you jinx things," Strauss Zelnick, the boss of Rockstar parent company Take-Two responded when IGN asked how confident he was that Rockstar would hit fall 2025 for GTA 6. "So we feel really good about it." That was back in February.
Commenting in a new note to the investment community issued today, May 2, Zelnick said he supported the decision to delay GTA 6 into Take-Two's 2027 financial year.
"We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a groundbreaking, blockbuster entertainment experience that exceeds audience expectations.
“While we take the movement of our titles seriously and appreciate the vast and deep global anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI, we remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence. As we continue to release our phenomenal pipeline, we expect to deliver a multi-year period of growth in our business and enhanced value for our shareholders.”
The delay to GTA 6 opens up the second half of 2025 to a number of other games, perhaps now with more breathing room to succeed. The likes of Gearbox's Borderlands 4, EA's Battlefield, Bungie's Marathon, and Sony's Ghost of Yotei will no-doubt breath a sign of relief. Nintendo, which is preparing to release the Switch 2, will surely benefit from GTA 6's delay, too.
Other developers and publishers who perhaps rushed their games to launch ahead of GTA 6's expected fall 2025 release window won't be so happy, of course. And if you had a game planned for launch in or around May next year, you'll probably have to rethink your release strategy.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
