We’re still a few months away from Grand Theft Auto 6’s November 19 release date, but a certain fan may be able to play the open-world crime game before launch. Take-Two and Rockstar Games are said to have reached out to a terminally ill fan to grant their wish to play GTA 6 while they can still play it.
That’s according to Ubisoft Toronto developer Anthony Armtrong, a family member of the terminally ill fan. According to Armstrong’s now-deleted LinkedIn post (via Insider Gaming), the GTA fan, who has been battling cancer, may have had a chance to test out Grand Theft Auto 6. After posting his family’s message and confirming they had just received the “worst news,” Armstrong asked Rockstar if it would be possible for the terminally ill fan to experience Grand Theft Auto 6 before his death.
“To anyone from me at Rockstar Games and Rockstar Toronto, or anyone else who can help. A member of my family has been battling cancer for years and recently got the worst news that he only has 6 to 12 months to live,” Armstrong explained in the original LinkedIn post from a few weeks ago, which has since been deleted.
“I’m contacting them because they’re a huge GTA fan and with the latest update he probably won’t be around long enough to actually see GTA 6 launch, best case scenario he’ll be leaving us the same month it launches. He currently lives a stone’s throw from Oakville Studios so I’m hoping one of you can set up an exclusive playtest so he has a chance to play the game before passing it.
“I definitely understand the need for confidentiality at this stage of development, so at least a non-disclosure agreement may be required.”
Rock star, Take-Two reaches out to fans
It looks like a terminally ill fan’s wish may be coming true. A few weeks after his initial post, Armstrong shared an update claiming that the CEO of Take-Two Interactive had contacted him and that he was waiting to hear back from Rockstar to discuss the matter further.
In a final update, Armstrong stated that Rockstar Games had reached out to him. “We spoke with them today and got good news. That’s all I can say, but thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
All posts have since been deleted, but judging by the tone of the final update, the terminally ill GTA fan may be getting his wish to play GTA 6.
Neither Rockstar nor Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has officially announced that fans will be allowed to experience GTA 6 under special circumstances.
But this isn’t the first time Rockstar has done something like this for terminally ill fans. Back in 2018, the studio reportedly granted fans their wish to play Red Dead Redemption 2 before its release.
GTA 6 has been delayed twice from its original fall 2025 release window and is now set to release on November 19, 2026.
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