The storm finally seems to be moving away for Rockstar. After a second postponement made official a few days ago, the horizon is brightening again for Grand Theft Auto VI. According to several sources close to the studio, development of the game is now complete. Understand by this that all the planned content – scenario, maps, mechanics, characters, systems – is integrated into the game. Rockstar would now have moved on to a phase as demanding as it is crucial: polishing.
A symbolic milestone for Rockstar and the community
Developing a game like GTA 6 is a mammoth undertaking, involving hundreds of developers for years. When a production reaches the polishing phase, it usually means that the art direction, storytelling, core features, and technical systems are locked down.
Clearly, GTA 6 is now a “playable” game in its complete form. This technical milestone constitutes a major turning point. This allows teams to focus exclusively on stability, performance, smooth experience, and squashing bugs — fundamental elements to ensure a successful launch.
This process, while encouraging, is far from a formality. The colossal ambition of GTA 6 requires a very high level of finishing. The game’s gigantic universe, its countless interactions, its increased realism and the density of its environments make the optimization stage particularly complex.
A report under control, not a questioning
The recent postponement to November 19, 2026 left a bitter taste among players, but this new phase of development is reassuring. If Rockstar postponed the release, it is not to rethink the game or fill in gaps, but to achieve a degree of finish consistent with its standards.
This means that the core of the game will no longer change. No major content will be added or removed. The studio is now working to balance its game systems, correct errors, improve animations, adjust AI, and test all possible scenarios.
In the context of GTA, where the open world is a constant testing ground for players, this type of work is essential to avoid spectacular bugs or flaws that would harm immersion.
A calendar more credible than ever
This polishing phase would have started in spring 2024, well before the official announcement of the postponement. In other words, Rockstar would not be in a hurry. The team would have more than a year to refine the game, which represents a significant and rather reassuring deadline.
To date, all statements point in one direction: the release in November 2026 would indeed be definitive. The game ecosystem seems ready, the marketing materials are taking shape, and the latest internal adjustments do not call this deadline into question.
Certainly, caution remains in order. But after more than twelve years of waiting since GTA V, this information may finally mark the beginning of the end for fans’ endless wait.