Grand Theft Auto 6 delayed until May 2026
Grand Theft Auto 6 – one of the most eagerly awaited releases of all time – has been delayed until May 2026.
The sequel to developer Rockstar Games’ record-breaking video game series was due to release on consoles later this year.
But it told fans it “requires additional time to deliver the level of quality you expect and deserve”.
The previous game in the series, GTA 5, is the second best-selling video game of all time and remains hugely popular thanks to its online mode.
Very little official information has been revealed about GTA 6 since the game’s trailer was released in December 2023, which soon racked up over 100 million views.
The 90-second clip showed the two main protagonists and a glimpse of Leonida, the game’s fictional, Florida-inspired setting.
In its statement, Rockstar said the “interest and excitement” in the game has been “truly humbling for our whole team”.
The company is known for its long development cycles and the 12-year gap since GTA 5’s release has sparked a wave of online jokes and memes.
It also has a track record of delaying major releases, such as 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2 – the studio’s last big new game.
But Rockstar is also known for its perfectionist approach and Strauss Zelnick, CEO of parent company Take Two Interactive, has previously said each new game from the developer should be “something you’ve never seen before”.
‘I’m getting impatient at the moment’
News of the delay has left fans like 27-year-old Diane Kawende very upset.
“I’m so angry right now,” she told BBC Newsbeat.
“I have fire flowing through my body right now.”
GTA 6 will only be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox at launch, meaning owners of older consoles will have to upgrade to play it.
Sony and Microsoft have recently announced price increases for both machines.
“This year, I literally worked a job so I could save money to buy a Playstation 5,” says Dian.
“Now everything is ruined.”
Although he praises Rockstar for making “amazing” and complex games, the 12-year wait is becoming too much for him.
“I’m getting really impatient at the moment,” he says.
“When GTA 5 came out, I was at school. I was a teenager. I might start having kids soon.
“When GTA 6 comes out, I might not even have time to play.”
GTA 6is expected to break sales records upon release, possibly surpassing its predecessor, the highest-grossing video game launch of all time.
The global video game industry has been hit by waves of studio closures and layoffs over the past two years.
It was hoped that Rockstar’s new release might inspire more people to buy a new console, or spur interest in gaming more broadly.
However, this means that other publishers who have been holding off on announcing new games for fear of clashing with GTA 6 may now look to release their games before the end of this year.
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