When Rockstar Games announced in May 2025 that Grand Theft Auto VI would be delayed until May 26, 2026, it extended an already lengthy wait for one of the industry's most anticipated games. That date, however, is no longer current.
Rockstar announced another delay on November 6, 2025, moving Grand Theft Auto VI to November 19, 2026. As of September 2026, that remains the official launch date listed by both Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two Interactive.
What Happened With the May 2026 Release Date?
The May 26 date was announced by Rockstar on May 2, 2025. At the time, the studio said it needed additional development time to deliver the game at the quality level players expected. The announcement replaced the previously planned fall 2025 release window.
Rockstar did not provide a detailed technical explanation for that delay. In its official announcement, the company said it was continuing work to finish the game and apologized for extending the wait.
The news also had an immediate financial impact. The Associated Press reported that Take-Two Interactive shares fell nearly 7% on the day of the May 2025 announcement.
Take-Two chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick publicly backed Rockstar's decision, saying the developer was being given additional time to pursue its creative ambitions for the game.
Rockstar Later Delayed GTA VI to November 19, 2026
The May release date remained in place for roughly six months. Then, on November 6, 2025, Rockstar announced that Grand Theft Auto VI would instead launch on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
Rockstar said the additional months would allow the development team to finish the game with the level of polish it wanted. The company also reaffirmed that the game would take players back to a modern-day Vice City and across the wider fictional state of Leonida.
The November date has since appeared repeatedly in Rockstar's marketing and in Take-Two's financial disclosures. Take-Two's August 2026 earnings release, for example, continued to list Grand Theft Auto VI for November 19, 2026.
What Is Confirmed About GTA VI Now?
Several details that were uncertain when the original delay story was published have since been formally confirmed by Rockstar.
| Current release date | November 19, 2026 |
| Announced launch platforms | PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| Standard edition price | $79.99 in the United States |
| Ultimate Edition price | $99.99 in the United States |
| Pre-load date | November 12, 2026 |
Rockstar opened pre-orders in June 2026. The company says digital versions will become available for pre-loading on November 12, one week before launch.
Rockstar has announced only PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions for the November launch. A PC version has not been given an official release date.
Vice City, Leonida, Jason and Lucia Are Still Central to the Game
The original 2023 trailer established the return to a modern version of Vice City and introduced Lucia. Later official material removed much of the uncertainty surrounding the game's setting and characters.
Rockstar released Trailer 2 on May 6, 2025, confirming Jason and Lucia as the central characters. According to Rockstar's current description, the pair become caught in a criminal conspiracy spanning Leonida after a job goes wrong and are forced to depend on each other to survive.
Rockstar has also continued to publish material about Vice City, Leonida and the game's characters throughout 2026, so the earlier suggestion that the delay might have resulted in those core elements being removed is no longer supported by the available evidence.
Where GTA VI Stands Ahead of Launch
The May 2025 postponement was an important moment in Grand Theft Auto VI's development history, but readers following the game now should not rely on the May 26, 2026 date. Rockstar's current official schedule is November 19, 2026.
The game is available to pre-order, Rockstar continues to promote the November launch, and Take-Two has continued to list the same date in its 2026 investor materials. The latest official information can be found on Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI website.
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