GTA 6 is delayed again, this time to November 19, 2026, marking the game's second delay since it first got a release window. But publisher Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick is "highly confident" that this is the last time.
Speaking to IGN on a call ahead of the announcement, Zelnick reiterated the company's statement that the delay was simply for Rockstar to have time to polish the game. “We wanted to give Rockstar the appropriate amount of time to polish the title and make sure it can be the very best it can be," he said.
Previously, Grand Theft Auto VI was announced for a fall 2025 release, which CEO Strauss Zelnick told me he felt confident in even as rumors swirled of a delay. The game was later delayed to May of 2026, with Take-Two and Rockstar similarly citing a need for polish.
So I asked Zelnick again: How confident do you feel in this new date? Do you think there’s any chance we’re looking at GTA 6 in 2027?
"I’m highly confident," he replied "And at the same time, there have been limited circumstances where more time was required to polish a title and make sure that it was spectacular and that time has been well-spent, when our competitors go to market before something was ready, bad things happen. That said, that said, I’m highly confident on the new date."
Take-Two reported net bookings of $1.96 billion in the best second quarter in company history thanks to the releases of NBA 2K26, Mafia: The Old Country, and Borderlands 4. GTA V continues to sell millions each quarter, having now reached over 220 million units sold lifetime.
Meanwhile, Take-Two fired dozens of employees last week, alleging they leaked "confidential information in a public forum." Those employees claim they were actually fired for discussing unions and organization at the company, and protested their firing in front of Rockstar North and Take-Two's UK offices today.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
