Rockstar Games’ next Grand Theft Auto has been a long time coming. Grand Theft Auto 5 is now more than a decade old, spanning three console generations and 215 million copies sold, in large part due to the popularity of Grand Theft Auto Online. After an atypically long wait, Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated to finally arrive — fingers crossed — in 2026.
But as anyone who has followed Rockstar’s past game releases, things could change. Some GTA fans were expecting to play GTA 6 this fall, because the developer had originally planned a 2025 release for its new crime spree epic set in Vice City. With such a closely watched release date (now that we’re past Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hades 2), it’s worth paying close attention to what Rockstar and publisher Take-Two have to say about GTA 6‘s arrival.
What’s the latest on GTA 6’s release date?
GTA 6 will be out on May 26, 2026, according to the most recent update from Rockstar Games. The game is slated to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. A PC release has not been confirmed yet. Nor has the price of GTA 6.
Originally, GTA 6 was expected to arrive in fall 2025, and some game publishers moved their release dates out of the way of the next Grand Theft Auto. But in May 2025, just days before a new Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer, Rockstar announced a big delay for GTA 6, pushing the game out to May 2026.
“We are very sorry that this is later than you expected,” Rockstar said at the time. “The interest and excitement surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team. We want to thank you for your support and your patience as we work to finish the game.
“With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.”
As of this writing, Rockstar has not shared any details about what’s next for the hugely successful GTA Online, or any details about whether it will launch the same day as the main GTA 6 campaign.
Could GTA 6 get delayed again?
Anything is possible, though there are no worrisome signs on the horizon at the moment. Take-Two CEO and chairman Strauss Zelnick told CNBC in August that his “level of conviction is very, very high” regarding GTA 6‘s May 2026 release date.
But Rockstar is also known for its perfectionism and is pitching GTA 6 as “the largest game launch in history,” with a day-one audience of millions of players worldwide. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot riding on a successful debut. Rockstar can’t afford a disaster like the launch of Cyberpunk 2077.
Rockstar has a history of delaying its big games, including marquee titles like Grand Theft Auto 4, GTA 5, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Don’t be surprised if the developer pushes GTA 6 out a little further, in service of polishing the game to match players’ expectations.