It’s official: Grand Theft Auto VI won’t be hitting consoles this fall after all. Rockstar and Take-Two have pushed the game’s release back to May 26, 2026 — a delay that’s disappointing, sure, but one the publisher insists will pay off in the long run.
In its latest financial report, Take-Two Interactive — Rockstar’s parent company — offered a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s shaping up to be the biggest game in history. The standout detail? GTA 6 has already racked up over $1 billion in development costs, officially making it the most expensive video game ever made.
According to the report, full production kicked off in 2020, right after the runaway success of Red Dead Redemption 2. Since then, Rockstar has massively expanded its global teams and poured resources into cutting-edge tech to make its modern-day Vice City more vibrant and alive than ever before.
The delay might sting for fans who’ve been waiting more than a decade for a new GTA, but there’s a silver lining. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told investors that while the push could slightly dent the company’s 2025 financials, it was the right call — giving Rockstar “the time and space to deliver something truly exceptional.”
Zelnick added that development is “progressing smoothly” and reaffirmed the new May 2026 launch date. Of course, longtime fans know that “Rockstar time” can be flexible — and some can’t help but wonder if another delay might still be in the cards. After all, perfection takes time, and no one polishes a game quite like Rockstar.
Then came another bombshell: when asked about pricing, Zelnick hinted that Take-Two won’t be sticking to industry norms. That one comment was enough to send the internet into speculation overdrive — could GTA 6 really be the first $100 blockbuster? With its record-breaking budget and rumored scale, it’s not exactly unthinkable.
To soften the blow of the delay, Rockstar dropped a brand-new trailer confirming the updated release date — and, unsurprisingly, it shattered view records within hours. In classic GTA fashion, the hype is off the charts.
At this point, Grand Theft Auto VI isn’t just a game. It’s an event — one that’s rewriting the rules of how big, how detailed, and how ambitious a video game can be.
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