On paper, 2025 might end up being one of the biggest years ever for gaming. Based on what we already know, titles like Ghost of Yotei, Monster Hunter Wilds, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Death Stranding 2, Elden Ring: Nightreign, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and (likely) the Nintendo Switch 2 should all be arriving before this year comes to a close. Of course, the biggest game of all though is going to end up being Grand Theft Auto VI, which is currently slated to roll out in the second half of 2025 and will shatter just about every sales in the process. And while Rockstar hasn’t yet said anything about this release window for GTA VI shifting, I would be pretty shocked if the game doesn’t slip into 2026.
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When it comes to AAA video games nowadays, delays have become commonplace. Whether it be publishers like PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox, or third-party companies like EA, Ubisoft, and Sega, just about every company in the gaming industry ends up delaying something on an annual basis. Video games are more complicated than ever, especially ones as complex as GTA VI, which means that they simply need more time in the oven.
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Based solely on Rockstar’s history specifically, the studio doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to hitting its initial launch windows. Grand Theft Auto IV was delayed from 2007 to 2008, while Grand Theft Auto V was delayed by a few months in 2013 before eventually arriving that September. More recently, Red Dead Redemption 2 was hit with two different delays of about six months each, which resulted in the open-world western game releasing about a year after Rockstar originally intended. Because of this, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise at all if Grand Theft Auto VI suffered a similar fate.
It also can’t be stressed that Grand Theft Auto VI doesn’t necessarily need to be released in 2025. Outside of Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two Interactive having to shift around some of its financial projections, there aren’t many negative ramifications for GTA VI if it were to get pushed back. The game is going to generate a ton of revenue whenever it releases and Take-Two isn’t in a position of desperation to where it needs it out sooner rather than later.
The only thing that could come close to damaging Grand Theft Auto VI’s potential to make money would be if the game launches in a rough state. On Rockstar’s end, the studio also knows that GTA VI is going to be something that it hopes will have just as long of a lifespan as GTA V. The only way that this would potentially be in danger is if GTA VI was rushed out the door. As a result, I imagine Rockstar and Take-Two will be greatly cautious of the game’s release and wouldn’t hesitate to delay it if need be.
With all of this in mind, Grand Theft Auto VI’s potential release this year is just going to come down to where the project is at currently. We haven’t seen or heard anything about GTA VI since December 2023 when its first trailer was revealed. Whether or not this ongoing silence from Rockstar is a positive or negative thing is hard to gauge though and has certainly kept fans on edge. Whenever Rockstar does choose to break this silence, I would imagine we’ll start to get a clearer picture of the release window (or exact date) for GTA VI.
I’m not saying with certainty that Grand Theft Auto VI is going to get delayed out of 2025, but if I had to bet on it at this point in time, I would wager that it would instead arrive in early 2026. Like everyone else, I’ll continue to cross my fingers and hope that this won’t be the case as we’ve certainly already waited long enough for GTA VI as it is.
