The long-awaited video game Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) has been officially delayed by Rockstar Games. The company has announced that the release, originally scheduled for autumn 2025, is postponed to May 26, 2026. This confirmation has been met with a mixture of surprise, disappointment and understanding from the gaming community.
Why is GTA 6 delayed?
Rockstar has explained that it needs more time to polish all aspects of the game and ensure that the final product meets – and even exceeds – players’ expectations. “We want to release a title that lives up to what Grand Theft Auto means to millions of fans around the world,” the developer said.
The goal is to avoid past mistakes like those seen at the launch of other titles with performance issues or technical glitches. GTA 6 promises to be one of the most ambitious productions in video game history, set in a modern version of Vice City and including a vast open world with multiple protagonists.
Reactions and consequences
After the announcement, reactions were not long in coming. In social networks, many players expressed their disappointment after more than a decade of waiting since GTA V. However, a considerable part of the community has shown understanding, considering that a quality final product deserves the necessary time.
The news has also had an impact on the financial markets: shares of Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, fell as much as 8% after the delay was confirmed, Business Insider reported.
What is known so far about the game
Despite the delay, Rockstar has kept the level of anticipation high thanks to the first trailer released in December 2023, which broke records on YouTube. It is known that the game will have:
- A story starring two playable characters, one of them a woman (Lucia), something unprecedented in the main saga.
- A return to Vice City, the fictionalized version of Miami.
- Elements of narrative evolution influenced by player decisions.
- An unprecedented level of visual detail for the saga.
What does this mean for the industry?
This change in the calendar completely reshapes the interactive entertainment landscape for 2025 and 2026. Other studios could take advantage of the absence of GTA 6 in 2025 to launch their projects without competing directly with one of the most anticipated games of the decade.
As the new date approaches, new trailers, images and gameplay details are expected. In the meantime, players will have to be patient.
