Is GTA 6 Getting Delayed to 2026? What the Rumors Suggest

The never-ending wait for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto franchise continues. 

Grand Theft Auto fans have been desperately awaiting the next installment in Rockstar’s legendary open-world crime series. 

But could they be in for a longer wait than expected? Recent rumors suggest GTA 6 may slip from its projected 2025 release window into 2026 or beyond.

Delay to 2026 as Emergency Option

According to reports from Kotaku, production on GTA 6 is falling behind schedule at Rockstar Games. 

This has led studio leadership to worry about missing the targeted Spring 2025 launch and potentially delaying the game’s release into late 2025 or 2026.

While an early 2025 release date is still the internal goal, Kotaku’s sources claim that a Fall 2025 launch is looking “more plausible and feasible.”

Delaying to 2026 is reportedly being considered as a “fallback plan” or “emergency option” if needed.

Return to Office to Speed Up the Development

In February, the company announced all employees must return to in-person work five days a week starting in April.

At that time we all thought it could be because of a security issue as the release date neared and Rockstar wanted to prevent any further leaks.

But looking at the latest rumor it looks like the “return to office” policy is actually to speed up the development process so that they can catch up with the release date.

Crunch Culture Concerns

However, the surprise policy caught many off guard, especially those hired remotely during the pandemic era. 

As reported by Aftermath, some Rockstar staffers worry the return to office could trigger resignations and further delay GTA 6’s development.

One major worry, if GTA 6 gets delayed, is the potential return of excessive crunch – periods of grueling overwork to meet deadlines. 

Rockstar Games has faced criticism over its crunch culture in the past, with some employees logging 100-hour weeks to ship games like Red Dead Redemption 2.

What About the Next GTA 6 Trailer?

Of course, Rockstar typically waits until the “last minute” to alter plans or announce changes. 

So any upcoming GTA 6 trailer likely won’t reflect a potential delay – even if one is already internally expected.