Grand Theft Auto 6 To Debut on May 26, 2026

Rockstar Games said on Friday that Grand Theft Auto 6 would now be released on May 26, 2026, after being postponed. Although the game was supposed to be released this fall, the industry was starting to get worried about the lack of a firm release date. Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar, has repeatedly reaffirmed that the eagerly anticipated game, which was first shown in December 2023, would be released in the fall of 2025. Even though GTA 6 has a firm release date at last, the company has yet to reveal a new video or game pictures. However, Rockstar assured fans that further details about the game would be released “soon.”

In its sole official announcement regarding Grand Theft Auto VI since the game’s announcement, Rockstar stated that the game would now be released on May 26, 2026. We sincerely apologize if this is later than you anticipated. “We are very sorry that this is later than you expected,” the company wrote in a brief note on its website announcing the decision. Our entire crew has been really humbled by the enthusiasm and attention surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto. As we strive to complete the game, we would like to express our gratitude for your patience and support,” the developer stated.

According to Rockstar, more development time was required to guarantee that GTA 6 would arrive at the high calibre that fans have come to anticipate from the studio. Before the game is released on the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X, the delay will probably be used to refine it even further.

“We’ve always tried to go above and beyond your expectations with every game we’ve launched, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no different. We hope you realize that in order to deliver at the calibre you deserve and expect, we need more time,” Rockstar stated. “We hope to provide you with more details in the near future.”

What the Delay in GTA 6 Means, to the Fans who have been waiting years for GTA 6 to release are probably going to be disappointed by the delay. Rockstar only announced that the game would be launched in 2025 when it unveiled the first trailer on December 5, 2023. In a subsequent quarterly earnings call, Take-Two confirmed the Fall 2025 launch window, a timeframe that CEO Strauss Zelnick has repeatedly reaffirmed.

More recently, Zelnick claimed that in order to keep people waiting for the launch, Take-Two and Rockstar had chosen not to disclose the release date details for Grand Theft Auto 6 far in advance.

Zelnick told Bloomberg earlier this year that he has been around the block a few times and has worked in every entertainment industry there is, and I think the excitement for that title may be the biggest I’ve ever witnessed for an entertainment property. Additionally, they want to keep the enthusiasm and anticipation high.

“We’ve discovered that it’s better to release marketing materials relatively close to the release window in order to generate excitement on the one hand and balance that excitement with unfulfilled anticipation. Our competitors, on the other hand, will outline their release schedule for years in advance. Even if we don’t always get it just right, that’s our goal.  

Numerous other games will have a smoother path to launch in late 2025 now that the release date of Grand Theft Auto 6 has been set. Gearbox’s announcement earlier this week that it was pushing the release of Borderlands 4 ahead two weeks to September 12 sparked rumours that the studio knew about Rockstar’s plans for GTA’s release. Given that Gearbox is also owned by Take-Two Interactive, this is not an unlikely theory.

Sony announced last week that Ghost of Yotei, its first-party action-adventure game, would be released on October 2. Since GTA 6 has been confirmed for 2026, other games that are planned for release this year will probably have fixed release dates.

There was always a chance of a delay because Rockstar has not released any official updates regarding the game. The studio has been silent and kept its cards close to the vest despite the demands of eager fans for the release of the game’s second trailer. Since its initial teaser, which broke the Internet more than 16 months ago, GTA 6 has not gotten any official updates, including a trailer, pictures, plot, or gameplay details.

Given that Grand Theft Auto game releases have previously been postponed by Rockstar Games, the delay is likewise not shocking. Originally scheduled for release in Q2 2013, Grand Theft Auto 5 was postponed until September 17, 2023. Due to issues with PS3 development, GTA 4’s October 16, 2007 release date was rescheduled until April 29, 2028.

With the game being delayed for months past the Fall 2025 release schedule, Grand Theft Auto 6 is a major setback. It will now debut on the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X on May 26, 2026. Later this year, Rockstar is probably going to release a second trailer and additional information about the game.

Grand Theft Auto V, which has sold over 210 million copies since its release more than ten years ago, is currently among the most popular video games ever, along with Tetris and Minecraft. Before it finally arrived in September 2013, Grand Theft Auto V experienced multiple delays.

Since a teaser trailer was released in December 2023, not much has been disclosed about Grand Theft Auto VI. The fictitious Vice City, Grand Theft Auto’s Miami, and its home state of Leonida are the locations for the open-world crime drama. It is anticipated that the narrative will follow seasoned criminal Lucia as she and her male partner set out on a bold theft.

There has been no additional information provided on the GTA VI delay. However, the event will undoubtedly be dominated by queries from reporters and shareholders when Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two reports its financial results on May 15.