GTA VI Rescheduled for Release on November 19, 2026
Now GTA VI is rescheduled for release on November 19, 2026, after an announcement of yet another postponement by Rockstar Games. The now eagerly awaited title was moved from its earlier date of May 26, 2026. This is a major second change from the original slot given for Fall 2025.
Officially Announced
The news was given to the public by a short post on Rockstar Games's official page on X (formerly Twitter). It gave no clear reason as to the delay save the need for finishing up work in a way that was deemed satisfactory.
"Grand Theft Auto VI shall now release on Thursday, November 19, 2026. We apologize for the extra time added to what we realize has been an extremely long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve."
Publisher Take-Two Comments on the Delay
The announcement shortly preceded the Q2 2026 financial results call held by Take-Two Interactive, which is the parent company of Rockstar. During the call, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick discussed the delay and emphasized commitment towards quality over release dates.
"The drivers are the desire to deliver as perfect an entertainment experience as we possibly can and to try to live up to consumers' extraordinary expectations and then exceed those expectations. It is always painful when we move a date. We've done so occasionally in the past, and we've never regretted it in retrospect."
Zelnick pointed out that some of their competitors did suffer from releasing games that needed more polish, reinforcing their decision to take the extra time.
A History of Rockstar Delays
This is the trend with the developer who has a huge history of delaying major titles to assure quality. Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto V, and Red Dead Redemption 2 had all been pushed back before their launches, which turned out to be triumphant.
Other News from the Take-Two Earnings Call
The financial call was also a source of updates on some of Take-Two's other recent releases:
- Borderlands 4: In his words, Zelnick admits sales were slightly below expectation, due to "PC optimization 'challenges'" at launch. Still, he's pretty confident on the game's performance in the long run.
- Mafia: The Old Country: This title was reported to have had better-than-expected sales, suggesting a continued future for more narrative-focused, budget titles within the series.
