Summary

  • GTA 6 was delayed to meet the creative vision without limitations.
  • Take-Two CEO explains delay decision was to support Rockstar Games' pursuit of perfection.
  • The CEO feels confident about the new release date for GTA 6.

Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has shared that GTA 6 was delayed to fulfill the developer's creative vision "with no limitations" and has also reassured fans about the game's release date. As the long-overdue sequel to 2013's GTA 5 and the next chapter in Rockstar's widely acclaimed open-world crime saga, GTA 6 has been one of the most highly anticipated games in recent years.

Ever since being officially confirmed for the first time in 2022, the new Grand Theft Auto has constantly been on the radar of enthusiasts, leading to lots of hype and speculation in the process. The sheer excitement and fanfare around the project could be assessed by the record-breaking launch of its announcement trailer and the virtually countless fan theories that have followed. After initially targeting a 2025 release, GTA 6 was delayed to May 26, 2026, by Rockstar Games to meet the desired game quality. Now, the American publisher's owner has also spoken about the decision to push the game further back and explained what led to the same.

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In an interview with IGN, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick shared how getting closer to the completion of "a title that’s seeking perfection" can reveal the need for "continued polish." Reflecting on GTA 6's case that bore immediate market repercussions, he explained that the call to delay the title was made because those in charge thought "a small amount of incremental time" could help Rockstar Games fulfill its vision for the game without any limitations. He continued, "And I supported, of course, that approach." Despite the postponement of GTA 6, Zelnick expressed his confidence in the slate for FY 2025-26, saying that he felt "really good." However, at the same time, he admitted that such delays "pain" him as well, while also stating that "the most important thing" was to back the devs "in their search for perfection."

Take-Two CEO Talks About the GTA 6 Delay

Apart from revealing the thought process behind the delay, Zelnick spoke about GTA 6's newly revealed release date in a reassuring manner. Reflecting on Rockstar's track record, the Take-Two chief emphasized that, when it comes to meeting specific release dates, the devs have "been very good about reaching it." Notably, the publisher's last major release, Red Dead Redemption 2, also faced delays but eventually rolled out once a specific date on the calendar was locked down.

Even though the GTA 6 delay has left a sizable hole in Take-Two's 2025 release slate, the forthcoming months are still filled with multiple big launches for the AAA gaming giant. Mafia: The Old Country in August and Borderlands 4 in September mark two of the biggest game launches still to come from the 2K parent in 2025.

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Grand Theft Auto 6
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Action
Adventure
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Released
November 19, 2026
ESRB
Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+
Developer(s)
Rockstar Games
Publisher(s)
Rockstar Games
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.

Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.

Engine
Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE)
Prequel(s)
Grand Theft Auto 5
Franchise
Grand Theft Auto
Xbox Series X|S Release Date
November 19, 2026
PS5 Release Date
November 19, 2026
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure