GTA 6 Delayed to May 2026—Rockstar Says It Needs More Time to Meet Expectations

Rockstar Games has officially delayed the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 to May 26, 2026. The highly anticipated video game was previously scheduled to launch in fall 2025.

In a brief statement shared on social media, Rockstar apologized to fans for the extended wait:

"We are very sorry that this is later than you expected. The interest and excitement surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team."

Rockstar explained that they need the extra development time to meet quality expectations:

"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."

The announcement comes just before parent company Take-Two's financial results briefing scheduled for May 15. This delay follows months of speculation despite previous assurances from Take-Two that the game would still meet its 2025 release window.

As recently as February 2025, Take-Two had insisted GTA 6 would arrive in fall 2025. According to their earlier earnings report, they had planned a strong lineup including "Sid Meier's Civilization 7 on February 11, Mafia: The Old Country in the summer, Grand Theft Auto 6 in the fall, and Borderlands 4."

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick had previously shown caution about announcing specific release dates too early. In a statement just last month, Zelnick explained their approach:

"We do have competitors who will describe their release schedule for years in advance, and we found that the better thing to do is to provide marketing materials relatively close to the release window."

The first and only trailer for GTA 6 was released in December 2023 and has already surpassed 250 million views on YouTube. No new trailer or additional information accompanied today's delay announcement.

Industry observers note that the delay may benefit other game publishers who were hesitant to release major titles near GTA 6's original launch window. EA CEO Andrew Wilson had previously mentioned they might delay their next Battlefield game, currently expected before April 2026, if "some things happening in the year" created an unfavorable release window.

The news also follows comments from Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, who recently stated that Borderlands 4's launch date change had nothing to do with any other game's schedule.

Fans will have to wait nearly another full year beyond the original target date to experience the next chapter in the Grand Theft Auto series. Rockstar concluded their announcement by promising more information soon: "We look forward to sharing more details with you in the coming months."