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Rockstar Games announced on November 6, 2025, that Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed for a second time, with the new release date set for late 2026. The highly anticipated sequel was originally scheduled for autumn 2025 before being pushed to May 2026, and now faces another six-month delay. Rockstar cited the need for additional polish to meet fan expectations as the reason for the extended development time. Let us take a look at complete GTA 6 development timeline along with the official release date.
GTA 6 Release Date
In a statement posted on the official Rockstar Games website, the developer apologized for adding more time to what they acknowledged has been "a long wait." The company stated that the extra months will allow them to finish the game with the level of polish players "have come to expect and deserve."
Rockstar thanked fans for their patience and support, expressing excitement for players to experience the sprawling state of Leonida and a return to modern-day Vice City. The November 19, 2026 release date is now the official target, though some fans remain skeptical given the game's history of delays.
GTA 6's Development Timeline
Grand Theft Auto 6 has been in development for over a decade since GTA 5 launched in September 2013. The 13-year gap between releases is the longest the series has ever experienced, and the extended wait has made GTA 6 one of the most anticipated gaming releases in history.
GTA 5 remains the second best-selling game of all time, with publisher Take-Two Interactive reporting 220 million units sold as of 2025. Despite being 12 years old, GTA 5 continues to be extremely popular thanks to its online mode, which receives regular updates and generates substantial revenue for Rockstar.
Here's a complete breakdown of every major announcement, trailer, and milestone in GTA 6's development:
- September 2013 - Grand Theft Auto 5 releases on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, becoming one of the best-selling games of all time.
- February 2022 - Rockstar officially announces GTA 6 is in development, confirming the game's existence after years of speculation and rumors.
- September 2022 - Major leak occurs when 90+ videos of early GTA 6 development footage are leaked online, showing early gameplay and mechanics.
- December 2023 - First official GTA 6 trailer releases, revealing the game's setting in Leonida (fictional Florida) and introducing protagonists Jason and Lucia.
- February 2024 - Rockstar announces autumn 2025 as the initial release window for GTA 6.
- May 2025 - Second official trailer releases, providing more insight into the storyline and showing expanded map locations. The trailer accumulates over 100 million views.
- May 2025 - First delay announced, pushing the release from autumn 2025 to May 26, 2026.
- October 30, 2025 - Rockstar fires 31 workers from UK studios, sparking protests and union disputes.
- November 7, 2025 - Second delay announced, moving the release date to November 19, 2026.
What We know About GTA 6
Rockstar has kept details about GTA 6 relatively tight-lipped, releasing only two trailers so far. The second trailer arrived in May 2025 and has accumulated over 100 million views. The nearly three-minute video provided more insight into the game's setting and protagonists.
GTA 6 is set in Leonida, a fictional US state based on Florida, and features a modern-day version of Vice City, the Miami-inspired location from 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The game follows criminal couple Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, with players able to control both characters as they roam through Leonida. This marks the first time the series has featured a playable female protagonist in a mainline entry.
The trailers showcased new characters, expanded map locations, and what appears to be significantly improved graphics and environmental detail compared to GTA 5. A former developer has claimed the game's visual and environmental realism will "blow people away," suggesting Rockstar is pushing technical boundaries with this release.
Internal Challenges at Rockstar
The GTA 6 delay announcement comes amid internal turmoil at Rockstar's UK studios. On October 30, 2025, the company fired 31 workers from its UK locations, prompting protests from the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The union accused Rockstar of sacking UK staff to prevent them from unionizing.
Members led rallies outside the company's offices in Edinburgh and London on the day of the delay announcement. The dismissed employees included senior artists, animators, QA testers, designers, programmers, and producers, including team leads. Some developers expressed concern that losing these experienced staff members could impact production timelines.
Are Further GTA 6 Delays Possible?
Shortly after the November 2026 delay was announced, rumors began circulating that GTA 6 could be pushed back even further to 2027. However, these claims have been dismissed by Rockstar insiders and industry sources.
Reece "Kiwi Talkz" Reilly, a trusted insider who accurately predicted earlier delays, called the 2027 rumors "total BS." He confirmed that GTA 6 is still too far from completion to determine if another delay is needed yet, but emphasized that no such decision has been made. Reilly urged fans to "relax" and stop engaging with baseless speculation.
Take-Two Interactive Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed confidence that the game will release in November 2026 without further postponements. Zelnick has described GTA 6 as a title poised to "set creative benchmarks for the series, industry, and entertainment."
What to Expect from GTA 6
When GTA 6 finally launches on November 19, 2026, it will be available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Rockstar has not announced plans for a PC version at launch, following the pattern established with GTA 5, which arrived on PC nearly two years after the console release.
Whether GTA 6 will live up to the massive hype surrounding it remains to be seen, but with over a decade of development and Rockstar's track record for quality, expectations are understandably high.
