Short answer
GTA VI moved from a 2025 window to May 26, 2026, then to November 19, 2026, announced in November 2025. Both times Rockstar cited polishing. On November 9, 2026, Take-Two confirmed development is complete and the game has gone gold, which makes a third delay very unlikely.
Key points
- First delay: from 2025 to May 26, 2026 (announced May 2, 2025).
- Second delay: to November 19, 2026, for 'additional polishing' (announced November 6, 2025).
- The second announcement followed controversy over 34 firings at Rockstar.
- Several publishers rescheduled games to avoid GTA VI.
- On November 9, 2026, Take-Two confirmed the game is finished and kept November 19.
Rockstar delayed GTA 6 twice: on May 2, 2025 it moved the game to May 26, 2026, and on November 6, 2025 it moved it again to November 19, 2026, the date that still stands. For the GTA 6 release date and GTA 6 unlock times by country, see the release date guide. This story covers the two announcements and their context.
GTA 6 delay timeline
| Date | Announcement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| December 4, 2023 | First trailer, with a 2025 release window | Replaced |
| March 2024 | Reports of delay risk; Take-Two holds to “late 2025” | Historical |
| May 2, 2025 | First delay: May 26, 2026 | Replaced |
| November 6, 2025 | Second delay: November 19, 2026 | Current |
| November 9, 2026 | Take-Two confirms development is complete and keeps November 19 | Confirmed |
Sources: IGN, Eurogamer and the Take-Two earnings call transcript published by Motley Fool. Reviewed November 11, 2026.
The firings
In October 2025 Rockstar fired 34 employees for sharing confidential information. The UK union IWGB accused the company of union busting. The second delay followed a week later. According to GamesRadar+, the firings did not cause the new date, though they could affect production timelines.
Industry ripple effect
Several publishers rescheduled releases to avoid launching near GTA VI. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier called it “a massive game of 4D chess playing out across the entire video game industry”.
Could GTA 6 be delayed again?
Very unlikely, and for the first time there is an official data point behind that. On Take-Two’s fiscal second-quarter call on November 9, 2026, CEO Strauss Zelnick said “Rockstar has completed the development of GTA VI”. The game has gone gold, and the date stays November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
On the same call Take-Two reiterated its fiscal 2027 net bookings outlook of $8.0 to $8.2 billion and said GTA 6 pre-orders are tracking “far in excess of our initial expectations”. Digital pre-loads have been open since November 10, and the game unlocks at midnight local time on November 19. Unlock times and pre-load details are on the release date page.
FAQ
How many times has GTA 6 been delayed?
Twice: first from 2025 to May 26, 2026, then to November 19, 2026.
Why was GTA 6 delayed?
Both times Rockstar said it needed more time to polish the game to the expected level of quality.
Could GTA 6 be delayed again?
Very unlikely. On Take-Two's November 9, 2026 earnings call, Strauss Zelnick said Rockstar has completed development of GTA VI, so the game has gone gold. The release date remains November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Sources
- Motley Fool — Take-Two Q2 FY2027 earnings call transcript (Nov 9, 2026)
- Push Square — GTA 6 has officially gone gold
- IGN — GTA 6 is delayed again until November 2026
- Eurogamer — GTA 6 delayed to 2026
- GamesRadar+ — GTA 6's delay reportedly had nothing to do with recent Rockstar firings
- Bloomberg — The Grand Theft Auto VI delay is impacting every game company
Change log
- Story published.
- Added Take-Two's confirmation that the game has gone gold, a November 2026 timeline entry and a rewritten section on the chance of another delay.
- Retitled around the two announcements and their dates, with a link to the release date guide in the first paragraph.
Keep reading
ConfirmedGTA 6 release date: November 19, 2026
ConfirmedGTA 6 has gone gold: no more delays, record pre-orders
ConfirmedWhat time does GTA 6 come out? Unlock times by country and time zone
ConfirmedIs GTA 6 on PS4 or Xbox One? Platforms and cloud play explainedConfirmedGTA 6 price: Standard vs Ultimate Edition, pre-order bonus and prices by country