Take-Two Boss Comments on GTA 6 Delay

Grand Theft Auto VI was recently given an official delay, much to the dismay of fans that have been eagerly awaiting its release. The game previously had an ambiguous launch window that would have seen it arrive before the end of the year, which led many fans to assume that a release was being planned for October or November. However, Take-Two and Rockstar confirmed on Friday that GTA VI will now release on May 26, 2026. In a new statement, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the delay, while touching on the importance of delivering a high-quality product.

“We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a groundbreaking, blockbuster entertainment experience that exceeds audience expectations,” Zelnick said in a press release. “While we take the movement of our titles seriously and appreciate the vast and deep global anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI, we remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence. As we continue to release our phenomenal pipeline, we expect to deliver a multi-year period of growth in our business and enhanced value for our shareholders.”

Grand Theft Auto V is the second best-selling video game of all-time, behind only Minecraft. Since 2013, the game has sold more than 210 million copies worldwide, and fans have spent more than a decade eagerly awaiting a sequel. It’s safe to assume that no one is happy about a delay that skips over the 2025 holiday season, especially Take-Two. However, if it means that the finished product has a better chance at exceeding the unquestionably lofty expectations of fans, as Zelnick claims, then the delay will have been worth it. Over the years, there have been countless stories of games that were rushed to market and failed to meet expectations, in terms of both quality and sales.

After more than a decade between releases, it seems Rockstar is being afforded all of the time it needs to deliver its vision for Grand Theft Auto VI. It remains to be seen whether the game will actually come out in May 2026, or if we’ll see it pushed back even further. It does bode well though that Take-Two and Rockstar were willing to put a date on the game, rather than announce a window. That doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything, but it does show some confidence that it will actually make it out by next spring.

RELATED: GTA 6 Creators Get “Final Warning” from Florida Joker Demanding $10 Million

News of the GTA VI delay continues to sting for fans of the series, but it’s a safe bet that some games will help to fill the void. Over the last year, we’ve seen countless reports of publishers waiting to announce release dates for their own games, so they wouldn’t get overshadowed by Grand Theft Auto. Now that we know that won’t happen, we should start to see more announcements about what games actually will arrive this fall.

Are you disappointed by the delay of Grand Theft Auto VI? Do you think we’ll see the game next May, or will it be even later? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!