GTA 6 Delayed Again as Rockstar Seeks More Polish

Rockstar Games has officially delayed Grand Theft Auto VI again, confirming that the highly anticipated open-world sequel will now launch on November 19, 2026.

Originally set for release in May 2026, this marks the second public delay for the game since its initial Fall 2025 target.

GTA 6 Misses May 2026 Window, Rockstar Targets November Launch

In a statement shared on the official website, Rockstar apologized to fans, saying, “We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve.”

The developer also thanked players for their patience and assured them that the wait would be worth it, especially with the chance to explore the sprawling state of Leonida, Rockstar’s fictional take on Florida, and revisit modern-day Vice City.

The announcement came alongside Take-Two Interactive’s quarterly earnings results. According to IGN, CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed confidence in the new date, insisting GTA 6 will not be delayed again.

“I’m highly confident,” Zelnick said. "At the same time, there have been limited circumstances where more time was required to polish a title and make sure that it was spectacular and that time has been well-spent, when our competitors go to market before something was ready, bad things happen. That said, that said, I’m highly confident on the new date".

He probably pointed out "that competitors" who rush unfinished games, leading to some of the most disastrous game launches in history.

Take-Two’s financials also highlight why the company can afford patience. Net bookings hit $1.96 billion in what Zelnick called the best second quarter in company history, boosted by releases like NBA 2K26, Mafia: The Old Country, and Borderlands 4. Meanwhile, GTA 5 continues to sell millions each quarter, now surpassing 220 million units sold lifetime.

So far, GTA 6 is confirmed to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, though there’s still no word on a PC release at launch.

Of course, delays like this always shake up the release calendar. With GTA 6 moving deeper into 2026, we’ll likely see other developers rescheduling their games to avoid competing directly with Rockstar’s juggernaut. Some smaller studios might even push their titles into early 2027, while others could shift to earlier slots just to stay out of GTA’s shadow.

But the delay isn’t the only thing keeping Rockstar in the headlines lately. The studio has been facing controversy following reports that 30 to 40 employees were dismissed after allegedly discussing unionization in a private Discord server. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) accused Rockstar of “union busting,” though the company denied the claim. Rockstar said those employees were fired for “distributing and discussing confidential company information,” calling it a clear violation of policy. In response, protests have begun outside Rockstar’s office..