Grand Theft Auto 6 was delayed last week, pushing its original fall 2025 release window to a final release date of May 26, 2026. While some fans were surprised by the news, several employees at developer Rockstar Games reportedly believed the initial release window was unrealistic. Earlier this year, Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive assured fans that Grand Theft Auto 6 was on track to release later this year, but the developer reportedly long believed that the game would “not have enough time” to be ready before fall 2025.
Rockstar doesn’t think GTA 6 will launch in 2025
The information comes from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who posted on social media after Friday’s announcement of Grand Theft Auto 6’s delay that it was clear to Rockstar staff that the game would miss its target release window.
After Rockstar Games announced that Grand Theft Auto 6 would be delayed until 2026, Schreier said in a post on Bluesky: “For a long time, no one I spoke to at Rockstar believed that the fall of 2025 was a real window.”
“There’s too much work, not enough time, and management seems genuinely interested in avoiding a brutal crunch. A delay of GTA VI to 2026, a few months or more, seems inevitable,” Schreier added.
For a long time, no one I spoke to at Rockstar believed that fall 2025 was a real window. Too much work, not enough time, and management seems genuinely interested in avoiding brutal overtime. GTA VI’s delay to 2026 has seemed inevitable for months
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) May 2, 2025 at 5:10 pm
Schreier’s claims suggest that GTA 6 will need considerable additional development time before release. His post also hinted that the new May 26, 2026 release date might be pushed back even further. Further delays shouldn’t surprise fans, as previous Rockstar games, including Red Dead Redemption 2, have been pushed back from their initial release windows multiple times.
Rockstar Games also seems to want to avoid crunch — a term used to describe the period of intensive overtime development work leading up to a game’s release. Notably, Schreier first reported in 2022 that the studio was looking to eliminate the practice and overhaul its “frat boy” culture to transform itself into a more inclusive workplace. With the critical period approaching, the development time of “GTA 6” may be longer than previous entries in the crime series.
Rockstar Games announced on Friday that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be delayed until next year, finalizing a release date for the long-awaited game. “We are extremely sorry that this is later than you expected. The interest and excitement surrounding the new Grand Theft Auto is truly humbling for our entire team. We would like to thank you for your support and patience as we work to complete the game,” the developer said in a statement.
The studio said it needed more time to ensure the game meets the standards fans have come to expect from its games. GTA 6 will launch on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X on May 26, 2026.