GTA 6 has been delayed twice: from fall 2025 to 26 May 2026 (announced 2 May 2025), then to 19 November 2026 (announced 6 November 2025). It has not been delayed again: as of 9 October 2026, Rockstar and Take-Two still list Thursday 19 November 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with preloads opening on 12 November.
Last checked 9 October 2026. We update this page on launch day.
Did GTA 6 get delayed again?
No. The last change to the date was on 6 November 2025. Since then, every official signal points the same way:
- 21 May 2026: Take-Two's fiscal 2026 results list GTA VI for 19 November 2026.
- 25 June 2026: pre-orders open on PlayStation and Xbox for 19 November.
- 7 August 2026: Take-Two's next earnings release repeats 19 November 2026, with no qualifier.
- September and October 2026: Rockstar announces the soundtrack album, a collector's box and the radio stations, all tied to the 19 November launch.
Rumours of a 2027 slip have circulated, including a viral post from an anonymous account and a misread comment by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, which he clarified. Neither came from Rockstar or Take-Two.
Every GTA 6 delay, with the official source
| Announced | Old target | New target | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 December 2023 | None (first window) | 2025 | Trailer 1, Rockstar Newswire |
| 16 May 2024 | 2025 | Fall 2025 (narrowed, not delayed) | Take-Two fiscal 2024 Q4 results |
| 2 May 2025 | Fall 2025 | 26 May 2026 | Rockstar Newswire |
| 6 November 2025 | 26 May 2026 | 19 November 2026 | Rockstar Newswire and X, same day as Take-Two Q2 results |
Delay 1: 2 May 2025
Rockstar's Newswire post said "Grand Theft Auto VI is now set to release on May 26, 2026" and that the team needed "this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve." It came four days before Trailer 2.
Delay 2: 6 November 2025
Rockstar posted on X and the Newswire just after 4 PM Eastern that the game "will now release on Thursday, November 19, 2026." The statement said "these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve." That added 177 days to the May date.
What was GTA 6's original release date?
GTA 6 never had an original day. The first trailer on 4 December 2023 gave a window of "2025". Take-Two narrowed that to "fall of calendar 2025" in May 2024. The first specific date Rockstar ever named was 26 May 2026, and that was already a delay.
So if someone asks for the original date, the accurate answer is "fall 2025". The first firm date was 26 May 2026, and the current one is 19 November 2026.
Full GTA 6 timeline
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Preliminary work begins after GTA V | Bloomberg reporting |
| Late 2018 | Early development after Red Dead Redemption 2 | Bloomberg reporting |
| 2020 | Development begins "in earnest" | Take-Two, May 2025 |
| 4 Feb 2022 | Rockstar confirms active development is "well underway" | Rockstar Newswire |
| 18 Sep 2022 | 90 leaked development videos posted to GTAForums | Press reports |
| 19 Sep 2022 | Rockstar confirms a "network intrusion"; work to "continue as planned" | Rockstar statement |
| 8 Nov 2023 | Sam Houser announces a December trailer | Rockstar Newswire |
| 4 Dec 2023 | Trailer 1 released early after a leak; "2025", PS5 and Xbox Series X|S | Rockstar Newswire |
| 16 May 2024 | Window narrowed to fall 2025 | Take-Two earnings |
| 2 May 2025 | Delayed to 26 May 2026 | Rockstar Newswire |
| 6 May 2025 | Trailer 2 released | Rockstar Newswire |
| 6 Nov 2025 | Delayed to 19 November 2026 | Rockstar Newswire, X |
| 21 May 2026 | Date reaffirmed in annual results | Take-Two (SEC filing) |
| 18 Jun 2026 | Editions, cover art and pre-order date revealed | Rockstar Newswire |
| 25 Jun 2026 | Pre-orders open | Rockstar Newswire |
| 7 Aug 2026 | Date reaffirmed in Q1 results | Take-Two (SEC filing) |
| 26 Aug 2026 | Rockstar acknowledges new footage leaks | Rockstar statement |
| 27 Aug 2026 | "An Extended Look" gameplay video premieres | Rockstar Newswire |
| 17 Sep 2026 | GTA VI: The Album announced | Rockstar Newswire |
| 24 Sep 2026 | Goodtime State, Vice City Collection box announced | Rockstar Newswire |
| 8 Oct 2026 | In-game radio stations revealed | Rockstar, via Kotaku |
| 12 Nov 2026 | Preload opens; physical code boxes on sale | Rockstar pre-order announcement |
| 19 Nov 2026 | Launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S | Rockstar, Take-Two |
The August 2026 leaks did not move the date. Take-Two's 7 August release, the Netflix premiere of the extended look on 27 August and every announcement since kept 19 November.
How long has GTA 6 been in development?
It depends on where you start counting, and the answers differ a lot:
- Full production: since 2020, per Take-Two in May 2025. That is about six years by launch.
- Early development: late 2018, after Red Dead Redemption 2 shipped, per Bloomberg. About eight years.
- Preliminary work: 2014, after GTA V, per Bloomberg. About twelve years.
- Since the official confirmation: 4 February 2022 to 19 November 2026 is 1,749 days.
- Since GTA V: 17 September 2013 to 19 November 2026 is just over 13 years, the longest gap between main GTA games.
The GTA 6 delay pattern is Red Dead Redemption 2's pattern almost exactly. RDR2 was announced for fall 2017, slipped to spring 2018, then landed on a specific autumn date: 26 October 2018. GTA 6 went from fall 2025 to May 2026, then to 19 November 2026. RDR2 never moved again after its second delay, a useful sign for anyone reading every new rumour.
What happens next
Preloading opens on 12 November, and the game unlocks at midnight local time by store region on 19 November, per PlayStation Store listings. Check our GTA 6 release time guide for your region and the GTA 6 file size and preload guide for storage.
For editions and bonuses, see our GTA 6 launch guide, and for the $399.99 merch box, the collector's edition guide.
Frequently asked questions
Did GTA 6 get delayed again?
No. The last delay was announced on 6 November 2025. As of 9 October 2026, GTA 6 is still set for 19 November 2026, confirmed again in Take-Two's 7 August 2026 earnings release.
How many times has GTA 6 been delayed?
Twice. From fall 2025 to 26 May 2026, announced 2 May 2025, and from 26 May 2026 to 19 November 2026, announced 6 November 2025. The May 2024 change from "2025" to "fall 2025" was a narrowing.
What was the original GTA 6 release date?
There was no original day. Trailer 1 in December 2023 said "2025", and Take-Two narrowed it to fall 2025 in May 2024. The first specific date was 26 May 2026.
Why was GTA 6 delayed?
Rockstar cited quality both times: "deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve" in May 2025, and "the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve" in November 2025.
How long has GTA 6 been in development?
Take-Two says development began in earnest in 2020, about six years before launch. Bloomberg reported preliminary work started in 2014 and early development in late 2018.
Is GTA 6 coming to PC?
Not at launch. Rockstar and Take-Two list only PS5 and Xbox Series X|S for 19 November 2026. No PC version or date has been announced.
Once GTA 6 is out, our GTA 6 catalog is where accounts will be listed. Each one is hand-checked before sale and backed by a lifetime warranty against recovery by the original owner.
Sources
- Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Set to Launch November 19, 2026 (6 November 2025)
- Rockstar Games on X: November 2026 delay statement (6 November 2025)
- Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Coming May 26, 2026 (2 May 2025)
- Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI, Watch Trailer 1 Now (4 December 2023)
- Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI, Watch Trailer 2 Now (6 May 2025)
- Rockstar Newswire: A Message from Rockstar Games, Sam Houser (8 November 2023)
- Rockstar Newswire: development confirmation post (4 February 2022)
- Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI Pre-Orders Begin on June 25 (June 2026)
- Rockstar Newswire: Grand Theft Auto VI, An Extended Look (27 August 2026)
- Take-Two Q4 fiscal 2026 earnings release (21 May 2026)
- Take-Two Q1 fiscal 2027 earnings release (7 August 2026)
- IGN: GTA 6 release date narrowed to fall 2025 (16 May 2024)
- IGN: GTA 6 development began in earnest in 2020, Take-Two says (15 May 2025)
- GameSpot: Rockstar responds to GTA 6 leak (19 September 2022)
- GameSpot: GTA 6 delay rumor shot down by reporter
- Kotaku: Rockstar reveals GTA 6 radio stations (October 2026)
- RDR2.org: Red Dead Redemption 2 release history
- Wikipedia: Grand Theft Auto VI (development and leaks sections, accessed 9 October 2026)