Rockstar has delayed the launch of GTA 6 to 2026.
The highly-anticipated sequel will now arrive for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 26th May 2026, Rockstar announced today in a short statement.
“Hi everyone, Grand Theft Auto 6 is now set to release on 26th May, 2026,” the company wrote in a statement shared via social media.
“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. We want to thank you for your support and your patience as we work to finish the game.
“With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto 6 is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.
“We look forward to sharing more information with you soon. Sincerely, Rockstar Games.”
Today’s news comes ahead of parent company Take-Two’s next financial results briefing, set for 15th May, and days after Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford said Borderlands 4’s recent launch date change was nothing to do with any other game.
No other information was announced by Rockstar today – and there’s certainly no sign of a new GTA 6 trailer. Rockstar released GTA 6’s first – and so far only – look at the game back in December 2023, at which point it was set for launch this year.
Rockstar’s confirmation of a delay follows months of speculation over whether the game would still make its 2025 launch window, despite assurances from Take-Two that the game was still on track.
In November 2024, GTA 6’s publisher insisted the game would arrive in autumn 2025 despite whispers of a delay, something it doubled down upon again just a few months back in February.
“This calendar year is shaping up to be one of the strongest ever for [Take-Two], as we plan to launch Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 on 11th February, Mafia: The Old Country in the summer, Grand Theft Auto 6 in the fall, and Borderlands 4,” the publisher noted in a now-outdated earnings report.
And just a month ago, Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick said the publisher was still keeping the GTA 6 date close to its chest to “maintain the anticipation and the excitement”. Still, reading back through his comments now, there is a suggestion of caution around announcing a firm date too early. Here’s what he said:
“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 in order to create that excitement on the one hand, and balance the excitement with unmet anticipation,” Zelnick noted.
The delay is at least good news for other games hesitant to lock down a launch date towards the tail end of 2025. Indeed, EA boss Andrew Wilson previously said the company would be willing to delay its next Battlefield – currently expected to release before April 2026 – if “some things happening in the year” meant that “wasn’t a great window for us”.
Sony, meanwhile, waited until last week to confirm an October launch date for Ghost of Yōtei, likely its biggest PlayStation launch for the year. Its hard to imagine the company did that without knowing the game would not clash with Rockstar’s behemoth.
Rockstar first confirmed GTA 6 development was “well underway” back in 2022, following reporting that stated the game’s initial scope had been pared back to allow for a smoother development and the ability to grow the game’s world post-launch.
As it is, GTA 6 will be set in a modern day version of Vice City – the Grand Theft Auto version of real-world Miami – and star a Bonnie and Clyde-style pair of protagonists. Here’s everything we know about GTA 6 for more.
