After Rockstar Games announced another delay for Grand Theft Auto VI, pushing the launch to November 19, 2026, fans were understandably frustrated — it’s been over a decade since GTA V came out, after all. But according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, there’s a good reason behind the timing, and he insists the wait will be worth it. In an interview with The Game Business, Strauss Zelnick explained that Take-Two “truly believed” in the original release date, but the company always gives Rockstar the flexibility to delay if that’s what it takes to deliver something special.
“When we set a date, we really believe in it,” Strauss Zelnick said. “But if the game needs more time to become the best version of itself, we’ll give it that time. That’s exactly what happened. We’re very happy with the new release date — it’s still within the same fiscal year, it’s a great window, and we fully support Rockstar’s decision.”
Strauss Zelnick also addressed a question many fans have been asking: why announce a release date so early, only to move it later? His answer is surprisingly practical — major games like GTA 6 need a long runway to build momentum, both for marketing and for player confidence.
“It’s really not that far away when you think about what it takes to launch a game of this scale,” he explained. “We have to start our marketing well in advance, and we want players to feel confident about what’s coming.”
Earlier the same day, Strauss Zelnick told IGN that Take-Two wanted to give Rockstar “enough time to perfect the game and make sure it reaches the highest possible quality.” That same message was echoed by Rockstar in their official delay announcement, where the studio said the additional months would allow the team to bring GTA 6 up to the standard fans expect. Strauss Zelnick ended on a confident note, saying he’s “absolutely sure” about the new release date — though fans remain cautiously optimistic, given Rockstar’s long history of delays. Still, for most players, another few months feels like a fair trade if it means getting a GTA 6 that truly lives up to the hype. After all, this isn’t just another game — it’s the next evolution of one of the biggest franchises in entertainment history. Grand Theft Auto VI is currently in development for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a PC version expected to follow sometime after launch.
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