Today, Rockstar Games has officially announced another delay for Grand Theft Auto VI, pushing the release date forward by an additional six months - from May 26, 2026, to November 19, 2026.
In a statement shared via the Rockstar’s X (Twitter) account and the Rockstar Newswire, the studio confirmed that development on GTA VI will take longer than expected to ensure the game meets the expectations:
Grand Theft Auto VI will now release on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve.
We want to thank you again for your patience and support. While the wait is a little longer, we are incredibly excited for players to experience the sprawling state of Leonida and a return to modern day Vice City.
This marks the second delay for Grand Theft Auto VI. The game was initially announced with a Fall 2025 release window before being pushed to May 26, 2026 earlier this year. Now, it’s been delayed once again to November 19, 2026.
A Pattern of Perfectionism
The pattern is similar to what happened with Red Dead Redemption 2, which was also delayed twice, eventually releasing a year after the initially announced date.
In their statement, Rockstar emphasized that the delay will allow the development team the time needed to ensure the game meets the studio’s exacting standards. While such postponements are not uncommon for Rockstar, they tend to signal an extended phase of refinement and optimization - a process that has historically paid off in the quality and longevity of its releases.
Grand Theft Auto VI is set to be Rockstar’s most ambitious project to date, with expectations high following the massive success of GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. With each delay, speculation grows about the scale of the game’s world, technical advancements, and storytelling depth.
What Comes Next
The new November 19, 2026, release date provides Rockstar with additional breathing room as marketing ramps up.
Right after the previous delay announcement, Rockstar dropped Trailer 2 and rolled out a major update to their official website, so we should keep an eye out for potential new content or announcements in the coming days to help ease the wait.
All official promotional material and artwork featuring the May 26th release date are now outdated, so expect updated visuals, box art, and possibly new screenshots or teasers to roll out soon.
As always, we’ll keep you updated right here on GTA Base with any new Grand Theft Auto VI information or official statements from Rockstar.
