First delay: GTA VI moves to May 26, 2026

Rockstar Games announced the first delay of GTA VI on May 2, 2025. Instead of the fall 2025 launch that had been expected until then, the game was now due on May 26, 2026. That date was later replaced as well, and since November 2025 the release has been set for November 19, 2026.

What Rockstar wrote

In a short Newswire post, the studio apologizes that the game is arriving later than players expected. It says the interest in a new Grand Theft Auto has been humbling for the whole team. Rockstar thanks fans for their support and patience while it finishes the game.

We are very sorry that this is later than you expected. (Rockstar Games, Newswire, May 2, 2025)

The reason given is Rockstar's own standard. The studio says its goal with every release has been to exceed expectations, and GTA VI is no different. It needs the extra time to deliver the quality players expect.

Take-Two's response

Take-Two Interactive confirmed the new date the same day. Its statement notes that the game had previously been expected in fall 2025 and that May 26, 2026 falls into the company's fiscal year 2027. CEO Strauss Zelnick said Take-Two fully supports Rockstar taking additional time to realize its creative vision.

Take-Two also repeated its expectation of sequential increases in net bookings, reaching record levels, in fiscal 2026 and 2027. Full-year results were scheduled for May 15, 2025.

What happened next

The May date lasted a little over six months. On November 6, 2025, Rockstar delayed GTA VI again, this time to Thursday, November 19, 2026.

Our release tracker shows how the date has changed since the first announcement.

Sources

• Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Coming May 26, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

• Take-Two Interactive (SEC): Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Reiterates Expectations to Achieve Sequential Increases in, and Record Levels of, Net Bookings in Fiscal 2026 and 2027 (opens in a new tab)

• Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Set to Launch November 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Event: 2 May 2025 · Checked on 27 October 2026.