Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), one of the most awaited games in the world, has been delayed for the second time. Rockstar Games, owned by Take-Two Interactive, announced the new release date as 19 November 2026.
The game was first scheduled for autumn 2025, then moved to May 2026, and now delayed again. Rockstar said it needs more time to finish the game and deliver the level of quality fans “expect and deserve.”
The previous game, GTA 5, released in 2013, is still one of the best-selling games of all time. Its online mode keeps it popular even after 12 years.
Rockstar apologized for the delay and thanked fans for their patience. The new game will be set in Leonida, a fictional U.S. state inspired by Florida, and include a modern version of Vice City, based on Miami.
The delay caused a wave of reactions on social media. Some fans joked about the long wait. Streamer IShowSpeed said, “I’ll be 50 before this game comes out! I might have kids, I might have a wife.” The Lofi Girl account joked that she “might graduate before GTA 6 releases,” and even Domino’s Pizza joked about helping deliver the game.
Others supported Rockstar, saying it is better to wait for a polished game than get a rushed release.
The announcement comes after 31 employees were fired from Rockstar’s UK studios on 30 October. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claimed the company fired staff to prevent unionizing. Protests were held outside Rockstar offices in Edinburgh and London.
Take-Two Interactive has not commented publicly on the layoffs.
So far, Rockstar has released only two trailers for GTA 6. The second trailer, released in May this year, showed fans the main characters, Jason and Lucia, a couple living a life of crime, and introduced new map locations.
Rockstar is known for delaying games to make them perfect. Its last big release, Red Dead Redemption 2, was also delayed by almost a year.
Experts say rising development costs and increasing player expectations are reasons for delays in big games. GTA 6 is expected to be one of the most expensive video games ever made and could break sales records when it launches.
For investors, the delay may push Take-Two’s revenue and earnings forecasts back, but the company’s long-term value is expected to stay strong because of the global popularity of GTA.
