When it comes to video game development, few titles carry as much weight as Grand Theft Auto 6. Recently, Take-Two Interactive announced what many fans had feared but perhaps expected: GTA 6 will not make its planned fall 2025 release window, instead launching next year in May.
If you've been following Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick's comments about GTA 6, one word that keeps recurring is "perfection."
"As we get closer to completion of a title that's seeking perfection, the needs or lack thereof, for continued polish become clear," Zelnick explained in a recent interview with IGN. "In this case there was an opportunity with a small amount of incremental time, we thought, to make sure Rockstar Games achieves its creative vision with no limitations."
This isn't the first time Zelnick has invoked the P-word when discussing GTA 6 . It's become something of a mantra for the executive, who's previously acknowledged that "perfection is indeed hard to measure." However, it seems Rockstar has finally found their measuring stick, and unfortunately, it requires another seven months of development time.
Obviously, the delay might be disappointing for fans who've been waiting since 2013 for a new mainline installment, but Zelnick admits the decision wasn't taken lightly.
"While of course, delays pain me—how could they not?—the most important thing to do is to support your teams in their search for perfection," he stated.
Take-Two's financial projections for the 2026 financial year (which runs from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026) will certainly feel the impact of pushing one of the most anticipated entertainment IPs of all time beyond that timeframe.
According to Take-Two's recent earnings call, GTA 6 only entered "development in earnest" around 2020, following the "massive success" of Red Dead Redemption 2. This puts the game's full development cycle at around six years by the time it releases. It's substantial, but not exactly surprising given the game's apparent scope and ambition.
"The ambition and complexity of Grand Theft Auto VI is greater than any previous Rockstar title," Zelnick stated during the earnings call, adding that "the team is poised to release another astonishing entertainment experience that will exceed players' expectations."
When asked about the possibility of additional delays beyond May 2026, Zelnick appeared confident that the new date would stick. "I think historically when we set a specific date, generally speaking, we've been very good about reaching it," he said.
This confidence comes despite Take-Two reporting a significant financial hit in their latest earnings - a writedown of more than $3 billion. While the company didn't disclose which division accounted for this loss, it's clear that Take-Two is going through some financial headwinds even as they prepare for what will likely be their biggest launch ever.
That said, Take-Two isn't being shy about the expectations for GTA 6, describing it in investor documents as "the most anticipated entertainment property of all time." Though that might sound like typical corporate hyperbole, the numbers suggest there is truth to it. After all, the first GTA 6 trailer accumulated half a billion views within just days of release.
For now, fans will have to be patient as Rockstar continues its quest for that elusive perfection. GTA 6 will arrive first on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a PC version expected to follow sometime later.
