Report: GTA VI development behind schedule, 2026 slip possible

Work on Grand Theft Auto VI has started to fall behind, and Rockstar is worried the game could miss 2025 and slip into 2026, Kotaku reported on March 22, citing anonymous sources with knowledge of production. Rockstar has not commented, and nothing official has changed.

What the report says

According to Kotaku, a 2026 release is a fallback option rather than the plan. The report ties the worry about the schedule to the studio's order for staff to work in the office five days a week from April, and says some workers fear a late push could bring back crunch.

The first version of the story said Rockstar was aiming internally for early 2025, a detail VGC also passed on. Kotaku updated the piece on March 26: more sources said early 2025 was off the table and the target was now "firmly 'Fall 2025'." Take-Two made fall 2025 the public window in its May 16 results.

What it means for players

Officially, the game is still due in 2025 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. A report like this is not a delay. What it does suggest, if the unnamed sources are right, is that the 2025 window is under pressure.

What happened next

On May 2, 2025, Rockstar moved the game to May 26, 2026 (our report). Its statement, quoted by Kotaku, said: "We are very sorry that this is later than you expected." The game later moved again, to November 19, 2026, a date PCWorld reports Take-Two has since confirmed. The timeline lists GTA VI's key dates in order.