GTA 6 delayed again, this time to November 2026 — Rockstar says extra time needed to deliver quality that players have 'come to expect and deserve'

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This is the second time GTA 6 has been delayed.

screen cap of the GTA 6 trailer on YouTube
(Image credit: Rockstar Games / YouTube)

Grand Theft Auto VI is one of the most hotly anticipated pieces of entertainment in history, and certainly the most hyped game ever. Publisher Rockstar Games has just announced on X that the game has been delayed by a few months to November 19, 2026.

This will make the wait between Grand Theft Auto V and its sequel by far the longest in the franchise's history, at more than 13 years, or roughly two entire console generations.

When GTA V came out, the PlayStation 3 was just being phased out in favor of the PS4, and when GTA VI drops, we'll likely be doused in PS6 rumors since the current-gen PS5 would be nearing end-of-life.

Rockstar expressed gratitude in a reply to the original post, thanking fans for their support and patience. It would be fair to assume that Grand Theft Auto VI has more pressure on it than Cyberpunk 2077, which failed to deliver at launch initially, but has since garnered a cult reputation after updates greatly improved the base game. Let's hope GTA VI launches in a state that's impressive from the get-go.

And to think, we'll still need to wait for the PC version after that.

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Hassam Nasir
Hassam Nasir
Contributing Writer

Hassam Nasir is a die-hard hardware enthusiast with years of experience as a tech editor and writer, focusing on detailed CPU comparisons and general hardware news. When he’s not working, you’ll find him bending tubes for his ever-evolving custom water-loop gaming rig or benchmarking the latest CPUs and GPUs just for fun.

14 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Heat_Fan89
    I agree regarding the PS6. My hunch is that GTA 6 is probably running on UE5 and it is just overwhelming current consoles. I know the game will supposedly generate $7 billion within two months from launch (which is insane) but it might be better to wait for the PS6 and the next XBOX/PC so the hardware could better handle the game.
    Reply
  • Drayvn
    Heat_Fan89 said:
    I agree regarding the PS6. My hunch is that GTA 6 is probably running on UE5 and it is just overwhelming current consoles. I know the game will supposedly generate $7 billion within two months from launch (which is insane) but it might be better to wait for the PS6 and the next XBOX/PC so the hardware could better handle the game.
    They've been using their own in house game engine called RAGE for the last 2 decades and across 10 games, which include GTA 4 and 5, Red Dead 1 and 2, as well as Max Payne 3, and confirmed by a job on linkedin

    https://www.reddit.com/r/GTA6/comments/1gz9g7q/the_latest_version_of_rockstars_rage_engine_for/
    Reply
  • JamesJones44
    This will just give Take Two time to publish another GTA remake so they can make even more off the franchise without actually taking the risk of releasing anything new.
    Reply
  • emike09
    Enough time to release the PC version alongside console version! Jkjk, we know Rockstar wouldn't bless us with a PC release. One can hope they've changed, though.

    Honestly, based on the PS5-based trailers, I'm amazed at what they're trying to pull off on current-gen consoles. If only Microsoft didn't also require them to make the game compatible and functional with the exceptionally weak Xbox Series S. I wouldn't be surprised if that's a big factor on the delays.

    Also a good thing for me - I won't waste precious late-spring through summer months playing when I should be adventuring outdoors. Not much to do in the cold, dark winter months here.
    Reply
  • JayGau
    I so don't understand the hype for Rockstar's games. They are so boring it almost feels like a joke. During the few hours I managed to put in GTA V without falling asleep, the most memorable moments were: slowly walking through an office to copy some code on a flash drive, having a bicycle ride with my teenager son and moving some containers with a crane at the port. Wow! And that was fun as compared to Red Dead Redemption 2, one of the most boring games I've ever played in my entire life. And yet, these are among the most successful games in the video game history. The matrix is really bugged.
    Reply
  • nitrium
    Heat_Fan89 said:
    I agree regarding the PS6. My hunch is that GTA 6 is probably running on UE5 and it is just overwhelming current consoles. I know the game will supposedly generate $7 billion within two months from launch (which is insane) but it might be better to wait for the PS6 and the next XBOX/PC so the hardware could better handle the game.
    They're obviously not waiting for PS6, since almost the entire PS user base is going to be on PS5 and will be for some time. There is zero chance it won't run well on the PS5 - that will be the target console. They are not waiting for a console refresh, that makes no business sense.
    Reply
  • Amdlova
    They are removing the woke content...
    So many developers and studio will close the door this year because of it. The last games I got is all indie games. Somes I buy just to help.
    Reply
  • Moxylite
    I imagine the potential size may be rough for many folks too; between downloading from rural areas, and requiring alot of SSD space.

    "Some GTA VI Devs estimate the size will reach up to 250 GB or more, particularly considering future updates, downloadable content (DLC), and online components that may add significant data over time. While extreme claims of a 750 GB file size have circulated, they are likely based on early development builds. The game is confirmed to be released exclusively on next-generation consoles, including the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, which should have sufficient storage capacity to accommodate the expected file size, though players may need to manage their storage carefully."

    **Edit- I thought that i should add this tidbit for any newbsters wondering about external drives :P

    "External drives/console USB ports are only fast enough for storing PS5 games, and are generally not fast enough to run PS5 games directly. PS5 games must be played from the console's internal SSD, or a compatible internal M.2 NVMe SSD expansion."
    Reply
  • Lamarr the Strelok
    JayGau said:
    I so don't understand the hype for Rockstar's games. They are so boring it almost feels like a joke. During the few hours I managed to put in GTA V without falling asleep, the most memorable moments were: slowly walking through an office to copy some code on a flash drive, having a bicycle ride with my teenager son and moving some containers with a crane at the port. Wow! And that was fun as compared to Red Dead Redemption 2, one of the most boring games I've ever played in my entire life. And yet, these are among the most successful games in the video game history. The matrix is really bugged.
    I'll help you Jay.I was deep into racing games when GTA 3D came out(3). I didn't get back into GTA 3D until I got Vice city.And it was one of the funnest,dumbest,stupidest hilarious game I'd played in a long time.A high point in 45 years of gaming. 3,4 were good too and 5 sorta sucked.Trevor is an unlikeable pos,The retired mob dude is boring and Michael is meh and he's the best to me.And over the years I've realized R* and Take 2 are just incredibly greedy and just bad.When I was a bored kid I'd have to watch B&W cowboy movies with my mom.RDR 2 is a bit much for me.Too slow. Call of Suarez Gunslinger is a cowboy game and I like it a lot more than RDR 2.
    But I get it. I went through the incredible heyday of GTA and even I'm annoyed/confused at how nuts the fans still are.You may have felt different if you'd played 3 or Vice city before 5 too. And I have friends who simply don't like being a dirtbag in games so don't play GTA. That's fine too.
    Reply
  • Lamarr the Strelok
    Amdlova said:
    They are removing the woke content...
    So many developers and studio will close the door this year because of it. The last games I got is all indie games. Somes I buy just to help.
    No clue what this means. Helping indies helps/hinders 'woke'?
    Reply