Players were hoping for it for 2025, then for May 2026. We will ultimately have to wait until the end of next year to get our hands on Grand Theft Auto 6. After years of rumors, postponed announcements and announcement effects, Rockstar Games has just formalized a new release date: November 19, 2026.
The announcement, made this Thursday, November 6, comes as a blow to a community already tired of having to wait. The studio admits: “We are sorry to add a little more time to an already long wait”, while promising that “these few additional months will allow us to complete the game with the level of polish that you expect and deserve”.
Titanic development and just-in-time communication
Initially scheduled for fall 2025, GTA 6 had already been postponed for the first time to spring 2026. This new six-month delay brings the total delay to a full year. If Rockstar does not mention a specific technical problem, the message is clear: the studio wants to avoid any rushed release.
This strategic choice is accompanied by controlled communication, relayed by Take-Two Interactive during the presentation of its financial results. A clever maneuver, since the good results driven by NBA 2K26 and Mafia: The Old Country made it possible to minimize the impact of the postponement on the markets.
A long-awaited return to Vice City
GTA 6 promises a dive into the fictional state of Leonida, inspired by Florida, and a return to the legendary Vice City. Rockstar is talking about a gigantic map, even more realistic gameplay and, for the first time in the series, a duo of protagonists with a playable female character.
The trailer released in December 2023, with more than 250 million views, was mouth-watering: chases under neon lights, decadent parties on yachts, urban riots and a breathtaking atmosphere. Suffice to say that expectations are dizzying.
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A heavyweight that is shaking up the industry
Each GTA 6 date change has repercussions far beyond its own release. Other publishers are adjusting their schedule to avoid head-on competition with this video game giant. Already in 2013, the release of GTA V crushed the rest of the market.
This time again, the November 2026 window will weigh heavily in the release decisions of other studios. In the shadow of this postponement, Rockstar must also face internal criticism. The studio is accused of having fired more than 30 employees to slow down the creation of a union, a decision justified by “the leak of confidential information” according to the company