Rockstar Games is delaying the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, the long-awaited next entry in the cult RPG franchise. In a news release published Thursday, the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead maker apologized before sharing the game’s new release date of November 19, 2026. GTA VI, the series’s eighth mainline entry, was previously scheduled to release on May 26, 2026.
The studio disclosed the game’s second delay in a downtrodden news wire post:
Hi everyone,
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.
Sincerely,
Rockstar Games
The Red Dead studio also shared the announcement on its X account (formerly Twitter). The post has been viewed nearly 43 million times in just four hours.
Thursday’s delay is Grand Theft Auto VI‘s second; the studio originally slated GTA VI for release sometime in 2025, but pushed that tentative date forward to 2026 back in May.
The twice-extended, 13-year gap between releases has proven agonizing for some, as social media users critical of the delay have begun sharing frustrations. Some industry accounts, such as that of games publisher Devolver Digital, made playful jabs. “DO YOU NEED A PUBLISHER TO GET THIS THING BACK ON TRACK? DMs are open,” Devolver wrote. “Our work on @BALLxPIT speaks for itself.”
Even classic arcade game publisher Atari chimed in. “We’ll co-publish. Ever heard of Pong?”
Rockstar’s delay announcement comes just hours after it challenged widespread allegations of union-busting at its Canada and UK offices.
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