Grand Theft Auto VI delayed again until May 2026: What’s behind the delay?

Rockstar Games has announced a massive delay for Grand Theft Auto VI, with a release date of May 26, 2026. The company reported it on their website in a brief statement apologizing for the delay, thanking the fans for their patience, and acknowledging the tremendous excitement surrounding the new title.

The announcement comes more than ten yeas after the release of Grand Theft Auto V, which has become one of the highest-selling video games of all time, with over 210 million sold. The sequel game, which was originally scheduled for release this fall, had sparked concern within the gaming industry due to the apparent lack of a release date confirmation.

ALSO SEE: Is Six Flags America closing? Amusement park in Prince George's County shuts down this fall

Grand Theft Auto VI is delayed again to 2026

Rockstar Games has stated that Grand Theft Auto VI was postponed to May 26, 2026. Initially, the game was set to be released this fall, but an infinite date raised alarms throughout the industry.

In a brief statement, Rockstar said on its website: "We're sorry to have this release later than we expected. The enthusiasm and interest in a new Grand Theft Auto has been extremely humbling for our whole team. We thank you for your ongoing support and patience while we finish the game. With every title we release, our goal is to be better than what you expected, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no different. We hope you understand that this extra time is important for us to achieve the level of quality that you expect and deserve."

It has been more than ten years since Grand Theft Auto V launched, which released with over 210 million units sold. It is one of the best-selling video games, alongside Minecraft and Tetris. GTA V itself was actually delayed several times before it was released in September 2013.

Since the December 2023 teaser video, little has been revealed about GTA VI. The next game will take place in fictional VIce City (based on Miami) and the state of Leonida. The story is conjectured to follow experienced criminal Lucia as she pulls off a big job with her male partner.

There was no further explanation of the delay, but Rockstar's parent company Take-Two will announce its financial results on May 15th - which will trigger further inquires from journalist and shareholders.

Take-Two reassures investors following GTA VI delay

Take-Two had previously maintained that Grand Theft Auto VI would be released in 2025, calling the project a "groundbreaking release" that could create a "material inflexion point," in its Q3 fiscal report for February 2025. After the delay, however, Take-Two assured investors it stills expects record levels of net booking and continued fiscal growth in 2026 and 2027.

Take-Two provided an investor update and reiterated it supports Rockstar Games in the decision to delay the release. Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two's chairman and chief executive officer, said, "We fully support Rockstar Games on taking the appropriate time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, consisting of groundbreaking blockbuster experiences that are greater than the audiences' expectations."

Zelnick commented on the commitment to excellence by adding, "While we understand the extraordinary anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI worldwide, we remain confident in our plan. We are entering a period of sustainable growth ahead with a strong pipeline of future release, as well, and are better positioned for ongoing value creation for our shareholders."