Over the weekend, we reported on the claims of a staff writer at GTABase claiming that Rockstar Games might have already decided to internally push back the release window for Grand Theft Auto 6 to early-to-mid 2026, missing out on Take-Two Interactive’s financially significant slate of titles for the next fiscal year. The news, which comes shortly after a musician accused Rockstar Games of giving them a lowball offer to secure their music for GTA 6—Rockstar has neither confirmed nor denied the allegations—has given antsy GTA fans something to talk about amidst the lack of any official news from Rockstar.
However, while Rockstar’s reputation for delaying games is well-known, it shouldn’t be reckless about delaying one of the most highly anticipated games of all time without considering the financial risks involved.
Take-Two Interactive’s next fiscal year hinges a lot on GTA 6’s release. A significant delay could potentially impact their financial projections and stock performance, putting immense pressure on Rockstar to deliver the game within the originally planned timeframe.
Interestingly, industry experts and journalists known for their accurate reporting on Rockstar’s plans have yet to definitively weigh in on these latest rumors. The notable sources for video game news and leaks, like Jason Schreier or Tom Henderson, has yet to provide clarity. Instead, both have remained relatively quiet on the matter. Schreier, in particular, could neither confirm nor deny the claims, opting instead to tell everyone to go enjoy their weekend as he is. This is unlike what happened back in March when he made a pretty definitive statement about a potential delay to GTA 6.
The lack of official updates from Rockstar doesn’t help at all. However, this silence is par for the course for Rockstar and pretty much every other AAA studio. Last year, Sony really didn’t talk much about Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 until the game was ready. Once development had finished, the marketing train went from 0 to full speed, with Sony pulling off stunts like this one in Australia that went viral for all the right reasons.
Given the scale and importance of GTA 6, you can’t blame Rockstar for tuning out the noise, especially after what happened two years ago with the leaks.
It’s important to remember that until Rockstar or Take-Two provide official info, all of these rumors and speculations should be taken with a grain of salt. The gaming industry is notoriously unpredictable, and development timelines can shift for a variety of reasons, both internal and external.
GTA 6 could still be delayed, but it may be released as planned. The only ones who know for sure until the games hit the storeshelves are Rockstar and Take-Two.
The next few months will help determine the validity of these rumors, specifically the upcoming quarterly earnings call in November.
Until then, let’s hope everyone else will have something new to talk about after GTA 6 or Astro Bot and its GOTY candidacy.
