Rockstar Games Announces New Release Date
Grand Theft Auto VI, the highly anticipated video game, has been postponed until May 26, 2026, according to a Friday announcement from Rockstar Games. Sometime this year, fans anticipated driving automobiles, committing crimes, and eluding the police in Vice City, a fictionalized Miami, with its sun-drenched beaches and dazzling condominiums.
Rockstar’s Commitment to Quality
“The objective has always been to try and exceed your expectations with every game we have released, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception,” Rockstar stated in a statement. “We hope you realize that in order to deliver at the caliber you deserve and expect, we need this additional time.”
A request for comment from Rockstar, the company behind the open-world western title Red Dead Redemption, was not answered. More than $8 billion has been made since the 2013 release of the last Grand Theft Auto game.
Impact on Console Sales and Gaming Market
Grand Theft Auto VI was predicted to propel PlayStation and Xbox console sales this holiday season, according to video game expert Matthew Ball. In order to avoid immediately competing with what is anticipated to be a blockbuster game, few other video games have set release dates for this fall.
“GTA’s delay gives the rest of the market much-needed, albeit short-term, oxygen,” he stated. “Billions of dollars in consumer spending were anticipated to be consumed by the title.”
History of Rockstar’s Game Delays
Rockstar frequently postpones the release of its games. Both the bullet-time shooter Max Payne 3 (2012) and the detective story L.A. Noire (2011) were postponed by a number of years. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004), and Grand Theft Auto III (2001), which takes place in a fictional New York and was delayed by three weeks due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, all experienced minor delays. Grand Theft Auto V (2013) and Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) were both several months behind schedule.
The First Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer
When the first Grand Theft Auto VI trailer was released in December 2023, Rockstar might have been being wry. “Love Is a Long Road” by Tom Petty was played during the 90-second preview.