GTA 6 officially has a release date. The bad news is it reveals a major delay, as the long-anticipated game has slipped from a planned 2025 launch date, to release on 26 May 2026. In a new blog post, Rockstar Games confirmed the shift, putting it down to a need for “extra time” for “the level of quality [players] expect and deserve.”
“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 … With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and GTA 6 is no exception.”
The delay means a lot of things for the world of video games. As one of the most anticipated games of the year – and likely the biggest game of any year it releases – it will mean a significant gap in the gaming calendar. Based on conversations online, it could also mean fewer consoles (Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5) sold in the next year, as folks hold out for this release.
GTA 6 release date could inspire more game announcements
On a more positive front, the announcement is likely to inspire a flood of confirmed release dates for new games waiting in the wings. As reported by a range of outlets, including PC Gamer, there are reportedly many publishers and developers who withheld (or otherwise felt very anxious about) announcing firm release dates for upcoming games while GTA 6 had a nebulous 2025 release date.
Read: GTA 6 – Everything big we know so far
Per one publisher speaking to PC Gamer, it didn’t want to launch “just before or just after the game” as not only would players be saving money for the launch of GTA 6 (and therefore not purchasing other games), their time would also then be committed for weeks and likely months after GTA 6. Given GTA 5 was so massive, and that players still enjoy jumping into that game, even 12 years on from release, it’s fair to say it’ll be a major time commitment.
With GTA 6 now firmly stepping out of 2025, we do expect to hear more from publishers and developers who may have been exercising caution around possible release dates. It could be that GTA 6 simply leaves a gap, and we’re in for a quieter year (which would also make sense given the recent swathe of company layoffs and downsizes) but we’ll have to stay tuned to see whether that’s the case.
For now, those keen for GTA 6 will simply have to exercise a bit more patience. At the very least, the announcement of the release does give a tangible date to look forward to, and with a plan now locked in, we’re heading towards a more certain future. Stay tuned for more on GTA 6 as it evolves.
