Why GTA VI's Release Window Has Game Developers Stuck In Limbo

Grand Theft Auto VI is shaping up to be an absolute juggernaut of a video game release for 2025. It has dominated the gaming discourse since the moment its debut trailer was dropped on YouTube. A year later it continues to suck up a significant amount of oxygen in the gaming space as fans conjure up theories for when the next trailer might drop. It’s enough to give other publishers pause when it comes to their 2025 plans.

A report in Bloomberg by Jason Schreier details how several publishers are basically waiting to see what Take-Two has planned for the game’s tentative 2025 launch. The decision could drastically shake up what these publishers have planned for their 2025 calendars. With many preferring to shift a game to 2026, or potentially get a game out the door in Fall of 2025 should GTA 6 run into delays, than have to compete with GTA 6 for attention.


These publisher’s concerns are understandable. GTA 5 has sold over two hundred million copies across three console generations since it originally launched in 2013. The game continues to live on through Grand Theft Auto Online, which still enjoys a healthy player base and is consistently one of the most streamed games on Twitch. It has enabled the franchise to build a mammoth fanbase that is chomping at the bit for the next installment, and will likely drop everything else to jump in on day one.

GTA 6 has been heralded as the video game industry’s savior after a few lackluster years compared to the COVID lockdown era. With many analysts anticipating a significant increase in hardware and software sales stemming from its release. However, it seems that for games unlucky enough to release around the same time frame as GTA 6, it might be game over.