RockstarGrand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed – for the second time – until November 19, 2026.
The sequel from developer Rockstar Games, one of the most anticipated game releases of all time, was supposed to be released in May 2026.
It has already been postponed previously, from the fall of 2025.
But in a statement Thursday, Rockstar said it needed additional months to finish the game to the level that fans “expect and deserve.”
GTA 5, the latest in the series, was released in 2013 and is the second best-selling game of all time.
Despite being 12 years old, it remains extremely popular among fans today thanks to its online mode.
In a statement, Rockstar expressed regret for adding additional time to the long wait and thanked fans for their patience.
It said players were “incredibly excited” to experience the game's setting of Leonidas – a fictional US state based on Florida – and a modern version of Vice City inspired by Miami.
Rockstar GamesAs always, the GTA news generated the usual mix of anger, jokes and cheers on social media.
Streamer IShowSpeed gave a typically overreaction to the news during one of his online broadcasts.
“I’ll be 50 by the time this game comes out,” he said.
“I can have children, I can have a wife.”
On the account of animated character Lofi Girl, who has been training full-time on YouTube since 2017, she joked that she “might actually finish training before GTA 6 comes out.”
While the official Domino's Pizza account urged Rockstar to “call us if you need help with delivery.”
Others were more reserved, saying they preferred the developers take their time rather than rush through an unfinished game.
The announcement follows dismissal of 31 employees from the British studio Rockstar October 30.
The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which represents people working in the gaming sector, has accused the developer of sacking UK staff to stop them joining unions.
On Thursday, members of the organization held rallies outside the company's offices in Edinburgh and London. The BBC has approached Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, for comment.
IVGBRockstar has remained silent on GTA 6, releasing only two trailers so far. the second one will arrive in May this year.
The nearly three-minute video, which has amassed over 100 million views, gave players a better understanding of the backstory of protagonists Jason and Lucia, a couple leading a life of crime in Leonidas, while also revealing new characters and locations on the map.
Rockstar has a habit of delaying the release of its games and has a reputation for being a perfectionist, with its previous major release, Red Dead Redemption 2, delayed by about a year from its original release date.
Increased demand for complexity and scale from players, as well as rising development costs, have made publishers less willing to take risks on unfinished products.
When GTA 6 finally releases, it will likely be one of the most expensive video games ever made, but it is also expected to set sales records at launch.
Whether it lives up to the hype remains to be seen.
