“Here we go again.”
That famous line from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas pretty much sums up how fans feel right now.
On Thursday, Rockstar Games delayed Grand Theft Auto 6 — again — pushing back what’s expected to be one of the biggest entertainment releases in history.
It’s the second delay since the game was announced, and while frustration is running high, longtime Rockstar fans probably saw this coming. The studio is famous for holding back its games until they’re exactly the way it wants them.
So, what’s behind the wait?
📅 The GTA 6 Timeline
Rockstar officially confirmed GTA 6 in February 2022. When the first trailer dropped 18 months later, it promised a 2025 release date — and revealed a bold new setup: two playable characters, Jason and Lucia, in Leonida, a fictional state inspired by Florida.
But earlier this year, the studio announced a delay to May 26, 2026 — a date fans noted coincides with the funeral of outlaw duo Bonnie and Clyde, who reportedly inspired the game’s leads.
That clever connection didn’t last long. This week, Rockstar delayed the game again, setting a new release date of November 19, 2026.
🕹️ Why It’s Taking So Long
Making a game like Grand Theft Auto 6 isn’t just complicated — it’s monumental.
Modern video games take years and hundreds of millions of dollars to produce, and Rockstar’s perfectionist approach pushes those timelines even further.
Two big reasons stand out:
- Sky-high expectations.
GTA 6’s trailers shattered YouTube viewership records. Each Rockstar release is expected to “wow” fans — and after 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2, a game praised for its realism and detail, the bar is impossibly high. - Rockstar’s perfectionism.
Both Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 5 were delayed twice before release. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick told investors that Rockstar’s team is simply “seeking perfection.”
💵 A Franchise That Prints Money
Another reason Rockstar isn’t in a rush? Its older games are still massive moneymakers.
- GTA 5 is the second best-selling video game ever, still moving hundreds of thousands of copies each year — 730,000 in the UK alone in 2024.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 sold another 350,000 copies that same year.
- GTA Online remains one of the most-played (and most profitable) games in the world.
Together, the GTA franchise has reportedly made $8.9 billion since GTA 5 launched in 2013.
So while GTA 6 will likely be one of the most expensive games ever made, Rockstar isn’t exactly desperate for a quick release.
🧑💻 The Human Factor
Behind the hype, there’s also a human side. Rockstar has been accused in the past of using “crunch” — mandatory overtime — to meet deadlines. The company says no one is forced to work extra hours, and reports suggest management is trying to avoid crunch this time around.
Still, workplace tension remains. Recently, 30 former Rockstar employees accused the company of firing them to prevent unionization. Rockstar denies this, saying the firings were for “gross misconduct.”
There’s no clear link between those firings and the latest delay, but losing experienced staff can easily slow down development.
🎮 Will GTA 6 Get Delayed Again?
At this point, nothing’s guaranteed.
Rockstar is famous for releasing games “when they’re ready,” not when fans or investors want them. And after two delays, it’s clear the studio isn’t afraid to hit pause if it means delivering something extraordinary.
For now, most fans seem willing to wait — hoping that Grand Theft Auto 6 really will be the “game of the century.”
Whether that patience pays off? That’s up to Rockstar.
