On May 2, 2025, Rockstar Games announced something that shattered the expectations of gamers worldwide. They declared that Grand Theft Auto 6, which should have been released in the fall of 2025, would be released today, May 26. It was a delay that was met with a mixed reception, and it would eventually be followed by a second, lengthy postponement.
Now, Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated to drop on November 19, 2026. But if things had gone as planned (and then re-planned), millions of us would be sitting down to play GTA 6 right now.
Why Was GTA 6 Delayed?
In a post on the Rockstar Games website more than a year ago, the team wrote:
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.
In the months that followed, Take-Two’s representatives reiterated that this game needed perfection and that it wouldn’t be released until it was as ready as can be. It’s expected to be the fastest-selling game ever made, and the predictions are sky-high.
During a recent financial update, Take-Two estimated the next fiscal year would yield up to $8.2 billion in net bookings, thanks to the launch of GTA 6. The November launch, that is.
But if things had worked out, we’d all of us be playing GTA 6 now. We would be pounding the streets of Vice City, exploring the wide world of Leonida, and getting to grips with two new protagonists, Jason and Lucia. It would be the most-watched game on every platform, video content would be filling every feed, and guides would be getting churned out faster than you could think.
Instead, we need to wait until all that materializes later this year, in November. It’s not that long to wait. As I write this, we’ve got 177 days until Grand Theft Auto 6 comes out.
Funnily enough, when I typed ‘how many days until nov…’ into Google, the top search result capped it off with ‘November 19th’.
What are you most looking forward to from GTA 6? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that First Light reviews are skyrocketing
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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