Take-Two Interactive has once again reassured fans that Grand Theft Auto VI is on track for its scheduled release in fall 2025. This confirmation puts to rest speculation about potential delays, at least for now.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the topic in the company's most recent earnings call, describing 2025 as "one of the strongest ever for Take-Two." In a separate interview with IGN, Zelnick added that the company feels "really good" about GTA 6's release window.
The anticipation for GTA VI is understandable. It's the next game in one of the best-selling video game franchises in gaming history. Its predecessor Grand Theft Auto V is the most successful entertainment product of the past two decades, selling over 210 million copies worldwide as it continues to top sales charts worldwide a decade after its initial release in 2013.
Rockstar Games, known for its meticulous attention to detail and commitment to quality, has a history of delaying major releases. This, and the relative lack of information about GTA 6 following the release of the initial trailer, has fueled speculation that GTA 6 might follow suit. However, Take-Two's repeated affirmations of the fall 2025 release window suggest a high level of confidence in Rockstar's progress.
The aforementioned trailer, which debuted in December 2023, offered fans a glimpse of the game's setting – a modern-day version of Vice City in the fictional state of Leonida. The trailer also introduced the game's dual protagonists, Jason and Lucia, hinting at a narrative centered around their pursuit of a better life through various criminal activities.
While details about GTA VI's gameplay and features remain scarce, the gaming community's excitement continues to build. Industry analysts have massive projections for the title, with some claiming that it could set a new precedent with its pricing strategy and sales expectations of somewhere around $3 billion in revenue in its first year alone.
Take-Two's financial report also highlighted the ongoing success of other titles in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Grand Theft Auto Online continues to perform strongly, with the recent Agents of Sabotage expansion and subsequent weekly content updates driving engagement.
Looking beyond GTA VI, Take-Two has outlined an ambitious release schedule for 2025. The year will kick off with Civilization VII in February, followed by sports titles PGA Tour 2K25 and WWE 2K25 in the spring. The summer will see the release of Mafia: The Old Country, setting the stage for GTA VI in the fall. Rounding out the year, Borderlands 4 is also slated for a 2025 release, though its specific launch window remains unannounced.
Curiously, Take-Two didn't mention the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto V: Expanded and Enhanced on PC. Perhaps it's leaving this announcement to Rockstar at a later date. Ultimately, Take-Two's consistent messaging suggests that development on GTA 6 is going well if not better than expected.
We'll have to wait and see how the rest of the video game industry, specifically video game publishers like Electronic Arts and Xbox, will respond.
