Release of ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ pushed to next year

Video game publisher Rockstar Games announced that “Grand Theft Auto VI,” the planned sixth installment of its hit action game series, will be out on May 26, 2026.

The game has been set to come out this year, with its first trailer appearing in December 2023.

“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. … 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,” Rockstar Games said in a release Friday.

“Grand Theft Auto V” was released in 2013, with over 200 million copies sold across Sony and Microsoft video game consoles as well as Windows-using personal computers in the years since, according to Statista.

Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive Software, said in its own release that it still expects its net bookings, or money coming from orders minus money lost on cancellations, to increase in fiscal 2026 and 2027.

“We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for ’Grand Theft Auto VI.’ … While we take the movement of our titles seriously and appreciate the vast and deep global anticipation for ’Grand Theft Auto VI,’ we remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said.