Grand Theft Auto 6 delayed until May 2026: 'We need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve'

Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer art
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

Rockstar has announced that Grand Theft Auto 6, which was due to release on consoles this year, has been delayed until 26 May 2026. In a post on its official website, the developer says:

"Grand Theft Auto VI is now set to release on May 26, 2026.

"We are very sorry that this is later than you expected. 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."

Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1 - YouTube Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1 - YouTube
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The post ends promising more information "soon", but let's just pause for a second: gutting. Grand Theft Auto 5 released in 2013 and this means there'll have been a 13 year wait for the next installment in the series.

No doubt the news will have many feeling wasted: including many developers and publishers, who feared this exact scenario. Grand Theft Auto 6 was announced in late 2023 with a spectacular trailer, and the 2025 release date that's now for the birds.

The worst thing about this news? Rockstar still hasn't even confirmed a PC version exists, even if it's a racing certainty, and the worry must be that for PC gamers we'll be waiting even longer after May 2026.

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Rich Stanton
Senior Editor

Rich is a games journalist with 15 years' experience, beginning his career on Edge magazine before working for a wide range of outlets, including Ars Technica, Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Gamespot, the Guardian, IGN, the New Statesman, Polygon, and Vice. He was the editor of Kotaku UK, the UK arm of Kotaku, for three years before joining PC Gamer. He is the author of a Brief History of Video Games, a full history of the medium, which the Midwest Book Review described as "[a] must-read for serious minded game historians and curious video game connoisseurs alike."

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