Will GTA 6 Be Delayed Again? Take‑Two Breaks Its Silence

Has there even been a video game more anticipated than Grand Theft Auto VI? If you're asking me, I'd argue that I looked forward to Thimbleweed Park more than any other title that comes to mind, but the broader consensus overwhelmingly favors the next GTA installment. It's going to be a hit, there's little doubt about that, and just as importantly for millions of fans, it remains on track to launch this fall.

Strauss Zelnick, chair and CEO of publisher Take-Two Interactive, acknowledged the launch timing in a prepared statement as part of the company's third-quarter earning results for fiscal 2026.

"With ongoing momentum across many of our businesses, and the highly anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19th, we continue to project record levels of Net Bookings in Fiscal 2027, which we believe will establish a new financial baseline for our business, set us on a path to enhanced profitability, and provide further balance sheet strength and flexibility," Zelnick said.

Staying on track for a November 19th launch wasn't necessarily a foregone conclusion. For one, there was a recent explosion within the Rockstar North building in Edinburgh, Scotland. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, so the secondary concern became whether or not it would impact the launch timing for GTA VI.

Then last week, a rumor surfaced suggesting that physical copies of GTA VI could be delayed in an effort to thwart unwanted leaks and spoilers before the game actually launches. However, Zelnick addressed this too, telling Variety in no uncertain terms, "That's not the plan."

The biggest clue before Zelnick's confirmation (PDF) that GTA VI remains on track came in mid-January when a post by Anthony Armstrong, an Ubisoft Toronto developer, went viral. Armstrong issued a plea to Rockstar Games on behalf of a terminally ill family member who is a "huge GTA fan." He had asked if it was possible to set the family member up on an exclusive playtest, "so he can have a chance to experience the game, before passing."

A later update said Armstrong and the family member received "great news" after speaking with Rockstar Games, and then the post was removed. The assumption is that Rockstar Games agreed to the playtest, which in turn would suggest GTA VI's development is far enough along for that to be possible.

We can't say for sure if the request for an exclusive playtest is happening or has already happened, but the plan is still to release GTA VI on November 19. In addition, Zelnick revealed that Rockstar Games is gearing up for a major marketing campaign later this year.

"Our execution throughout Fiscal 2026 has been extraordinary and we are highly confident as we approach Fiscal 2027 – which promises to be groundbreaking for Take-Two and the entire entertainment industry – led by the November 19th release of Grand Theft Auto VI with Rockstar’s launch marketing set to begin this summer," Zelnick said (PDF).

So there you have it. Barring any last minute delays, GTA VI will arrive in November as planned, and with physical copies in tow. Now the only questions are how much will it cost, and when will a PC port be available?