Grand Theft Auto 6 release date has been announced, but the game has been delayed to 2026
The game will now be released next year, Rockstar says
Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed to next year, Rockstar has announced.
The game will now be released on May 26, 2026.
“Hi everyone, Grand Theft Auto VI is now set to release on May 26, 2026,” a statement from the developer said.
“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 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.
“We look forward to sharing more information with you soon.”
Grand Theft Auto VI is now set to release on May 26, 2026. https://t.co/YgaIn1cYc8 pic.twitter.com/cyeK7GM6Ob
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) May 2, 2025
During an investor presentation in February, publisher Take-Two said the game was still on track to release this year, saying it was “launching Fall of Calendar 2025”.
“We forecast that Calendar Year 2025 will be an inflection point for Take-Two,” the publisher wrote in a statement at the time, “from the groundbreaking release of Grand Theft Auto 6 in the Fall, to the unmatched pipeline that 2K is set to deliver, including Civilization 7 on February 11, Mafia: The Old Country in the Summer, and Borderlands 4.”
Rockstar’s delay announcement may result in numerous other studios confirming 2025 releases for their own games. Earlier this year a Bloomberg report claimed that rival game publishers were waiting as long as possible to commit to their release dates for next Fall, because of GTA 6’s planned release.
The report claimed that publishers wanted to see if GTA 6 would make its deadline or be delayed until 2026, with the goal being to put significant distance between the release of their own games and Rockstar’s.
Earlier this week the release date of Take-Two’s Borderlands 4 was moved forward, from its original September 23 date to September 12.
This sparked speculation that it could have been influenced by Rockstar’s release plans for Grand Theft Auto 6, which is also owned by Take-Two, but this was subsequently denied by Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford.
