Grand Theft Auto 6 has once again been delayed. Rockstar Games took to social media this week to announce that the highly anticipated open-world action-adventure game will now be released on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
No specific reason was given, though the developer said that the extra time 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," Rockstar added.
GTA 6 was officially announced in December 2023, but is believed to have been in early development since 2018. Rockstar initially targeted a Fall 2025 release window, but later confirmed it would be released on May 26, 2026.
"We are very sorry that this is later than you expected," Rockstar said in a statement to fans back in May of this year. "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," the statement continued.
The initial delay was at least accompanied by an impressive second trailer, giving us a detailed look at the game with footage that was equal parts gameplay and cinematic cutscenes.
Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
This delay now pushes GTA 6 into the Holiday 2026 release window, which is when we many of us thought it would be released originally. This announcement should also serve as a warning to other publishers who were thinking of releasing their games around this time as GTA 6 will undoubtedly be the must-buy game of the year. It is currently slated to be released on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, though it is expected to come to PC at some point after launch.