While the news of another GTA 6 delay was a tough pill to swallow, Rockstar has at least now committed to something more concrete. Its previous ‘late 2025’ window is now a specific date that players can circle in their calendars, and Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick has just given his most confident statement yet that there will be no more pushbacks. He also explains why the decision was made to delay GTA 6 again, saying that it will allow Rockstar to release the game “with no limitations.”
With its sights set on creating the most immersive, massive, and successful game ever made, Rockstar has understandably needed a lot of time to bring Grand Theft Auto 6 to life. The previous launch window it set for the GTA 6 release date did seem achievable though – I really thought the open-world game would be in players’ hands before the end of this year. Alas, I was wrong and the skeptics were right, with the game now poised to drop on May 26, 2026. Despite the disappointment, the presence of an actual date, rather than a window, does instil a lot of confidence that there’ll be no more delays.
That feeling is certainly felt in the comments made by Zelnick in a new interview with IGN, which coincides with Take-Two’s latest quarterly earnings report.
“I think historically when we set a specific date, generally speaking, we’ve been very good about reaching it,” he says. Of course, it’s worth remembering that he also voiced his confidence in GTA 6 being ready in time for its old launch window.
Speaking to why Rockstar and Take-Two felt the need to push back GTA 6 into next year, Zelnick says that as the previous launch window approached, it became increasingly apparent that the game needed more time for polishing.
“As we get closer to completion of a title that’s seeking perfection, the needs, or lack thereof, for continued polish become clear,” he explains. “In this case there was an opportunity with a small amount of incremental time, we thought, to make sure Rockstar Games achieves its creative vision with no limitations. And I supported of course that approach.”
While GTA 6’s first trailer was a real spectacle, its second trailer (which you’ve probably watched several times over already, if you’re anything like me) really highlighted just how ambitious Rockstar has been. Incredibly detailed environments, remarkably realistic character models, and plenty of hints that there would be swathes of new and returning gameplay features. Given the expectation on its shoulders and how long it’s already taken to get GTA 6 out the door, any corner cutting or unpolished elements would no doubt draw criticism, and while I’m sure a buggy and underwhelming GTA game would still make billions of dollars, it’s clearly not a risk Rockstar or Take-Two are willing to take.
For more, check out our GTA 6 soundtrack guide to see what we know about the game’s music so far. Alternatively, head to our upcoming PC games guide to see what else is arriving in the build up to GTA 6.
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