GTA VI Delayed Again: 13 Years of Waiting Between Five and Six

Rockstar Games has just confirmed what many fans suspected but no one wanted to hear. GTA 6 is being delayed until November 19, 2026 – half a year later than promised. This is the third postponement of the release date since the game’s announcement in December 2023, and this time it hurts more than usual.

Originally, GTA 6 was supposed to be released in fall 2025. Then came the first delay to May 2026. And now it turns out that wasn’t enough. Rockstar stated in an official announcement that “the additional months will allow us to complete the game with the level of quality you expect and deserve.” And so, the wait, which many thought was almost over, begins again.

Half a year extra, when half a year was left? What’s going on?

A six-month delay is not just a slight postponement. It’s a doubling of the waiting time from the current state. On Reddit, one user aptly remarked: “We had less than 200 days left. Now we’re back over a year.”

What’s the worst part? The fact that Rockstar evidently realized they needed another six months for “polishing,” even though they still had six months of development ahead of them. This suggests either poor planning or an underestimated project complexity. If you realize half a year before release that you need another half a year, something went wrong earlier.

Hi everyone,

Grand Theft Auto VI will now release on Thursday, November 19, 2026.

We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and… pic.twitter.com/yLX9KIiDzX

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) November 6, 2025

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick a year ago expressed “great confidence” in the fall 2025 release date. When IGN asked him what had changed since then, he vaguely replied: “We’ve had more time to develop the title. We’re getting closer to release.” That’s not an answer, that’s Marketing 101 – saying something that sounds like an answer but actually explains nothing.

Fans are tired: “I was 17 when GTA 5 came out. I’ll be 30 when Six comes out.”

Community reactions on Reddit are a mix of sadness, jokes, and resignation. One of the most popular comments summarizes the frustration of an entire generation: “I was 17 when GTA 5 came out. I’ll be 30 when GTA 6 comes out.”

Another user added: “I was 26 when GTA 5 came out. When GTA 6 comes out, I’ll be retired.” And then there’s the classic: “I was dead when GTA 5 came out, and before Six comes out, I’ll have time to reincarnate.”

Funny exaggeration? Maybe. But behind it is real frustration. GTA 5 was released in 2013. At least 13 years will pass between GTA 5 and GTA 6. That’s enough time for someone to grow from a teenager into an adult with a mortgage and children. And during that time, Rockstar only released Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) and otherwise focused on milking GTA Online.

History of Delays

Rockstar has a history of delays – and paradoxically, it’s often good news. Red Dead Redemption 2 was delayed, and the result was one of the best games of the decade. GTA 5 also experienced a delay, and today it has over 220 million copies sold.

But this time, the situation is different. The first delay (fall 2025 → May 2026) was understandable – a few extra months for polishing is normal. However, the second delay (May 2026 → November 2026) already raises questions. If you need another six months after already delaying the game once, it means that:

1. The original deadline was unrealistic from the start – which suggests poor planning.
2. The game is more complex than Rockstar expected – which would be surprising after more than ten years of development.
3. Internal problems – lack of staff, poor organization, technical complications.

And then there’s the context that Rockstar prefers not to mention. Last week, Take-Two fired dozens of employees allegedly for “leaking confidential information.” However, employees claim they were fired for organizing unions. A group of dismissed employees protested in front of Rockstar North and Take-Two offices in the UK. This is not exactly an atmosphere conducive to smooth development.

What does this mean for players?

For those waiting for GTA 6 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, it means at least another year of waiting. For PC players? They will likely wait until 2027-2028, as Rockstar traditionally releases the PC version one to two years after consoles.

On the other hand – better a delay than a bad game. Cyberpunk 2077 showed what happens when a studio releases a game under pressure without it being ready. Rockstar has a reputation for producing perfectly polished games, and if they need time, it’s better to give it to them.

But the question is: Is November 2026 the real deadline, or will we see another delay? One Reddit user joked: “Only 180 days until the next delay, we’re getting close!” And honestly? After the third delay, no one would be surprised.

CEO Zelnick assured at the investor conference that the delay will not affect GTA Online updates. Which is actually ironic – a game released 12 years ago receives regular updates, while its successor cannot find its way out of development.

So… 2026, or 2027?

The official date is November 19, 2026. Realistically? Set your expectations for 2027. If Rockstar sticks to November 2026, it will be a pleasant surprise. If not, at least you won’t be disappointed.

And in the meantime? GTA 5 celebrates its 12th birthday, GTA Online generates billions of dollars annually, and players are slowly getting used to the idea that GTA 6 is more of a concept than a concrete product.

Do you believe GTA 6 will actually be released in November 2026?

Source: Rockstar Games