On May 2, 2025, Rockstar Games announced to the world: “Grand Theft Auto VI is now set to release on May 26, 2026.” In its message to fans, it said, “We are very sorry that this is later than you expected.” The game was originally scheduled for release in 2025.
It was delayed once more, now releasing in November this year, but as you might have realized, today is May 26, 2026, and we could have all been living our best lives in Leonida and Vice City.
Grand Theft Auto 6’s Original May 2026 Release Date Is Here, But We’re Still Empty-Handed
The last couple of weeks have been a wild ride for those waiting for GTA 6. There was some expectation that Rockstar would drop the game’s third trailer on May 12, with four or five separate theories lining up to suggest that date. It never materialized, and the company instead made a post about Red Dead Redemption Online. Fans were heartbroken.
Two days later, an email was sent to Best Buy affiliates suggesting that pre-orders for GTA 6 would begin on May 18, and hype reached fever pitch. There had to be a new trailer before then, and if not, at least pre-orders would be live. Nothing transpired.
At least, with Take-Two’s Q4 and FY26 earnings call taking place on May 21, we’d be guaranteed some new snippet of information. Wrong again. CEO Strauss Zelnick reiterated the November release date and confirmed that marketing would begin in the summer, but was coy about any details beyond that.
Marketing for Grand Theft Auto 6 is miles behind Grand Theft Auto 5 at this point.
It’s been argued, by fans and shareholders alike, that Grand Theft Auto 6 doesn’t need marketing. It’s a game guaranteed to sell millions upon millions of copies and, in my time as a journalist, by far the most hyped title I’ve ever seen.
Zelnick, on the other hand, disagrees with this notion and was bullish on the need to market the game, suggesting that players need to know when it’s out. Here’s hoping that November 19 date sticks.
