GTA 6 Launch Window Tightens Following Ghost of Yotei Release Date Reveal

And just like that, only two months of the year are left for Rockstar Games to release Grand Theft Auto 6. Sucker Punch Productions and Sony just confirmed the official release date of Ghost of Yotei, the sequel to the award-winning title, Ghost of Tsushima, and it's much sooner than most expected. This further narrows the window for GTA VI to launch unimpeded.

According to the official trailer, the upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, which will feature a new protagonist and set in a new locale in Japan, will be available to play on October 2, 2025. Ghost of Tsushima received both critical and popular praise and has sold over 13 million copies - quite a bit shy of GTA 5's record, but that is hardly fair comparison, and it is clear that Tsushima is a highly popular title with many fans anticipating a sequel.

While Rockstar could still technically release GTA 6 anywhere between September 22 and December 21 this year, the way most companies space out their biggest titles is that they find ways for their games to breathe, especially when multiple AAA projects launch so close to each other. With Ghost of Yotei confirmed for October 2, the likelihood of GTA 6 coming out in October is now slim to none, leaving a late November or early December release most likely.

Previously, it was assumed that a late October release for GTA 6 was still on the table. Take-Two Interactive's other AAA titles for later this year, Mafia: The Old Country and Borderlands 4, will launch on August 8 and September 23, respectively. With roughly 6-7 weeks separating the two games from each other, there was reason to believe that GTA 6 would follow a similar spacing.

Of course, there's still a possibility that GTA 6 will be available to play come October. However, Rockstar and Sony have long had a good relationship. This is relevant because of how key Ghost of Yotei is projected to be for the PlayStation brand and ecosystem - Sony wouldn't want one title cannibalizing the other.

Whereas other companies are calling GTA 6 a "huge meteor" and an "iceberg" as they try to avoid it at all costs, Sony is confident enough to release Ghost of Yotei in early October. This can only mean one of two things: it doesn't think GTA 6's release will negatively impact Ghost of Yotei's launch figures or it knows something we don't.

Previously, Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki expressed confidence that we're looking forward to a banner year for the PS5 this holiday season. Most assumed this was due to GTA 6 coming out between October and December and the rumored marketing deal between the two companies. Both are still on the table. What's changed is that Sony now has two fairly large reasons to expect massive year-ending numbers for its flagship console.

Between Ghost of Yotei and GTA 6, the PS5 and the PlayStation 5 Pro, which many believe will be the best platform to enjoy GTA 6 on, will be flying off store shelves this holiday season. A six- to seven-week gap between a Sony first-party AAA title and a Rockstar Games release isn't unprecedented either. Marvel's Spider Man came out on the PlayStation 4 on September 7, 2018 ahead of Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 26, 2018.

With that said, we still can't rule out the possibility of a GTA 6 delay, which, according to an anonymous developer a while back, isn't off the cards yet. We'll likely find out more about GTA 6 at the next Take-Two earnings call and in the coming months as we inch closer to its release window.