While the official release of GTA 6 is expected on November 19, 2026, a shocking story shakes the community. According to several sources, Rockstar Games organized a private session of the game for a fan suffering from an incurable illness who only has a few months left to live.
The information emerged on January 18, 2026 through a now-deleted LinkedIn post. It came fromAnthony Armstrongdeveloper at Ubisoft, who shared a sincere appeal for one of his loved ones, suffering from cancer. “given between 6 and 12 months to live”, he wrote, before asking for help to fulfill his last wish.
One last wish: discover GTA 6 before dying
The publication evoked the patient’s passion for the world of Grand Theft Auto. Armstrong said: “The reason I’m contacting you is because he’s a huge GTA fan, and with this latest update, he may not be around long enough to see GTA 6 released; best case scenario, he’ll be gone in the same month.”
He hoped that his loved one could “have the chance to discover the game before leaving us”, a message relayed widely on social networks, reaching the leaders of Take-Two, parent company of Rockstar Games.
Strauss Zelnick would have answered the call
An update released a few hours later rekindled hope: Strauss ZelnickCEO of Take-Two, has reportedly contacted the family. The intervention would have made it possible to organize contact with Rockstar.
Without revealing details, Armstrong later wrote: “We spoke to them today and received some great news. That’s all I can say for now, but thank you from the bottom of my heart.” A discretion consistent with the usual policy of Rockstar, which has not commented publicly on the matter.
A discreet but very real tradition in the industry
Rockstar is not its first gesture of this kind. The publisher had already allowed another terminally ill player to try Red Dead Redemption 2 before its release. An initiative praised at the time, today considered an example of compassion in the video game industry.
Other studios like Gearbox Software also showed humanity. In 2025, a fan suffering from cancer was invited to test Borderlands 4 in preview, under similar conditions. Without seeking publicity, these gestures leave a lasting mark on communities and demonstrate a sincere bond between developers and players.