Could GTA 6 Face Delays? Former Rockstar Dev Explains Why Take-Two Stays Hands-Off

Obbe Vermeij, a former Rockstar Games technical director, recently shared some insights on X/Twitter about the potential fate of GTA 6’s release date.

While emphasizing that he has no inside information or hasn’t spoken to anyone at Rockstar, Vermeij’s experience with the company provides an interesting perspective on how Rockstar might approach the decision to delay or stick to their announced timeline.

Vermeij pointed to Rockstar’s past decision-making process, specifically referencing Grand Theft Auto 4’s development:

• GTA 4 was originally slated for an October 2007 release
• The delay announcement came in August 2007, just two months before the planned launch

According to Vermeij, the actual decision to delay was likely made around June 2007, about four months before the initial release date

Applying this logic to GTA 6’s current fall 2025 release window, Vermeij suggests:

• A decision on whether to delay GTA 6 could be made around May 2025
• This would be approximately four months before a potential September 2025 release

He said, “R*[Rockstar Games] is probably not in a position to determine whether they will hit 2025 until May-ish.”

This means we may not know for certain if the game will be delayed for at least another six months. This also debunked the recent rumor from Liam of GTA Base, who claimed that the game’s release date is already pushed to 2026, citing a source within the company.

The decision to delay gtaIV was made 4 months or so before the original release date. Any further and it’s hard to make the call. R* is probably not in a position to determine whether they will hit 2025 until May-ish.

Also:
GtaVI will sell for 10+ years and there is no…

— Obbe Vermeij (@ObbeVermeij) September 14, 2024

Why Might Rockstar Consider Delaying GTA 6?

Vermeij made it clear that Rockstar is focused on releasing a polished product. “They are not going to release the game until they’re 100% happy with it,” he added.

He also noted that GTA 6 is expected to generate significant revenue for years to come, saying, “GTA 6 will sell for 10+ years, and there is no competition to worry about” —meaning Rockstar won’t rush it to meet a specific deadline.

Also Read:

• 1. Leaked GTA 6 Map Size Reveals 2.5x Bigger Than GTA 5
• 2. GTA 6 Trailer: Is Rockstar Telling Us Lucia’s Story in Reverse?
• 3. Who Are the Voice Actors Behind GTA 6’s Protagonists?
• 4. Could GTA 6 Feature an Undercover Cop Protagonist?
• 5. GTA Online’s Success Leads to the Cancellation of GTA 5 Story DLC

Will T2 Push Rockstar for an Early GTA 6 Release?

Despite speculation about possible delays, Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, remains confident about the planned 2025 release of GTA 6. In May, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed they are “on track” to meet the fall 2025 window.

This confidence raised questions from fans, with user @Darealbandicoot asking whether T2 could push Rockstar to release the game earlier, referencing concerns that Red Dead Redemption 2 may have faced similar pressure.

In response, Obbe Vermeij emphasized that Take-Two has historically given Rockstar creative freedom and rarely interferes with the development process. Vermeij stated, “T2 let R* make their own decisions, and I don’t think there is any reason to change that now.” He further clarified, “When I was there, T2 were pretty hands-off. So, R* really. And it would be between NY and the studios.”

This means that Rockstar continues to operate with a high degree of autonomy, focusing on quality over rushed deadlines. We can likely expect more details on it in T2’s upcoming quarterly results, which are set to be announced next month.