Rockstar Pushes GTA 6 Back to November 19, 2026

Rockstar dropped the news on Thursday, just before parent company Take-Two Interactive’s earnings call. Fans who held out hope for the May 26, 2026 date woke up to a six-month slide instead. This is the second official delay for GTA 6, which was originally aimed at Fall 2025 before moving up earlier this year.

Rockstar laid out the change in a post on X and their website. “Grand Theft Auto VI will now release on Thursday, November 19, 2026.” They wrote. “We’re sorry for adding more time to what we know has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game to the level of polish you’ve come to expect and deserve.” They ended with thanks for patience and excitement for players to get into Leonida and modern Vice City.

Polish is at the top of the list of reasons, as Rockstar wants to get everything right before millions of people buy it on day one. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick supported the call on earnings calls. He told reporters that the extra development time pushed them closer to release while staying within the same fiscal year. Zelnick called it a good window and praised Rockstar for striving for perfection.

Rockstar has a history of delays, with Grand Theft Auto IV slipping several times. Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 followed suit, with both coming out bigger after a wait. Zelnick pointed to competitors who rushed releases and paid the price. “We never regret it in hindsight,” he said.


Former Rockstar employees protested outside UK offices after being fired in late October, fueling speculation for days before the news. Up to 40 people lost their jobs due to the company’s public disclosure of confidential information. Protesters claimed unfair treatment and implied management ignored delay risks.


Take-Two says the firings were due to leaks, not union pressure. Both sides deny the protests caused the delay. Rockstar didn’t address internal strife in their statement. Markets reacted quickly, with Take-Two shares dropping over $30 in after-hours trading, a big drop directly related to the announcement.

Analysts say GTA 6 will be the biggest game launch ever, with sales expected to exceed 40 million in the first year. The second trailer dropped on May 6 and got a record number of views. Vice City is back as a Florida stand-in full of crime and anarchy, starring Jason and Lucia.He’s sticking to it. He was sticking to May too. Rockstar will update through official channels. Fans will have to wait a bit longer but they’ll be worth it.
[Source]