Grand Theft Auto 6 delayed until May 2026

2 May 2025, 13:33 | Updated: 2 May 2025, 14:35

The release of GTA 6 has been highly anticipated for over a decade. Picture: Alamy

By Jen Kennedy

Grand Theft Auto 6, which was due to release on video game consoles later this year, has been delayed until 26 May 2026, developer Rockstar has announced.

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The game was initially due to be released in autumn this year, but fans of the GTA franchise will have to wait a little longer for their fix.

Rockstar Games, the video game publisher who developed GTA, have apologised in a statement.

“We are very sorry that this is later than you expected,” Rockstar has said.

“The interest and excitement surrounding the new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team. We want to thank you for your support and your patience as we work to finish the game.”

“With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations. Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception,” they added.

“We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve”.

The developer is known for taking a perfectionist approach to its games, with significant delays between releases. Its last big release was the Red Dead Redemption sequel in 2018.

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of parent company Take Two Interactive, has previously stated that Rockstar Gaming is seeking “nothing short of perfection”.

GTA 6 had been the subject of mass speculation for years, even before its official announcement in 2022.

The 12-year wait has even become the subject of a popular meme, which references surprising events that have happened “before GTA 6”.

Its predecessor GTA 5, released in 2014, had been the subject of wide popularity and acclaim, setting the anticipation for GTA 6 to fever pitch.