If you’ve been keeping an eye on Grand Theft Auto VI, you’ll know by now that the highly anticipated game won’t be hitting shelves in 2025 after all. Rockstar Games recently announced that the release has been pushed back to May 26, 2026—a delay that, while disappointing, didn’t come without some consolation.
Shortly after the delay was confirmed, Rockstar dropped the second official trailer for GTA VI—and it exploded online. It’s fair to say the buzz that followed was unlike anything we’ve seen in gaming recently. Even those who don’t consider themselves diehard GTA fans (myself included) suddenly found themselves counting down the days.
Since that trailer dropped, Rockstar has largely gone radio silent, presumably to buckle down and finalize development. Interestingly, the studio did reveal that about 50% of the trailer was actual gameplay footage, which surprised many fans expecting pure cinematic scenes.
Meanwhile, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has publicly expressed confidence in the game’s progress. According to him, GTA VI is in a “fantastic place,” and the extra development time will be used purely for polish. He also stated that there’s no current reason to expect another delay.
Still, fans remain skeptical.
Why the doubt? Well, both GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 were delayed multiple times before release—though in the case of GTA V, one of those delays was never officially acknowledged. This pattern has led many to believe that a second GTA VI delay is all but inevitable.
However, context matters. When GTA V was in development, Rockstar was juggling multiple major projects—Max Payne 3, L.A. Noire, and Red Dead Redemption—all released within a few years of each other. When Red Dead Redemption 2 came out, Rockstar was still heavily supporting the then-new GTA Online.
In contrast, GTA VI has had significantly more breathing room. It’s been seven years since Rockstar last launched a mainline title (Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018), and the studio hasn’t announced any major new games since. That extra time could mean fewer complications and a smoother path to launch.
Still, fans are approaching the release with cautious optimism. On Reddit, one user wrote:
“It’s happened for both GTAV and Red Dead 2. Both were slated to release in the spring of the respective years they came out. They were both delayed twice. My advice to you younger folks: Just don’t even think about it. I obsessed over GTAV for the two years in between the release date and the launch. Same with Red Dead. They both exceeded my expectations. It will be worth the wait.”
Another chimed in:
“Ultimately what we need is patience.”
And they’re right. With the official release date now in sight and Rockstar’s track record of delivering genre-defining experiences, this final countdown might be the hardest part—but it’s also the most exciting.
So hang tight. We’ve waited this long. We’ve got this.
