Some recent rumors have questioned whether Grand Theft Auto 6 will meet its targeted 2025 release date. Players eagerly waited years for any official news about GTA 6, so when its first trailer finally dropped at the end of 2023, players were excited to finally get at least a year for when the game was meant to come out. Of course, anyone familiar with gaming release dates likely knows that just because one has been announced doesn’t mean it won’t change.
As disappointing as it is for a game to get delayed, especially one as highly anticipated as Grand Theft Auto 6, it can sometimes be for the best. One need only look at disastrous launches like Cyberpunk 2077 to understand why trying too hard to meet a deadline can hurt a game in the long run. Hopefully, GTA 6 will be able to meet its release date and be ready to go. For now, checking the validity of the delay rumors is the best way to know if the game is still on track for later this year.
GTA 6 Delay Rumors May Not Be True
A Recent LinkedIn Post Still Has GTA 6 Slated For 2025
As recently as January 7, 2025, Rockstar still seems to be planning a 2025 release date for Grand Theft Auto 6. This is backed up by a LinkedIn post by one of the company’s talent acquisition specialists, promoting open positions on the developer’s Technical Art team. The post was accompanied by an image declaring that GTA 6 would be released in 2025. While this would seem to damper some of the rumors of a delay, it might not be enough to say for certain that one isn’t happening.
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Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto 6 is one of the most anticipated games on the horizon, but fans are worried the game could be delayed to 2026.
GTA 6 is easily Rockstar’s biggest project in years, so promoting it alongside job openings is a good way to attract new talent to the studio. The image is very similar to one used in other promotional material for the game, so it may not have been made just for the sake of this LinkedIn post. It seems somewhat unlikely that Rockstar would try to attract new employees with a banner image that read “GTA 6, delayed.” If the game were delayed, the announcement would likely come from a different source, like GTA’s official website or social media.
Delays Have Become Standard For Many AAA Games
Multiple AAA Games Have Been Delayed In Recent Memory
While it is certainly comforting to see that an official post from someone at Rockstar still uses the 2025 release date, it isn’t conclusive enough to definitively say a delay is not coming. Delays have become somewhat expected for AAA titles in recent years, and announcements can come close to their planned release dates. A recent example is Assassin’s Creed Shadows which was delayed in September, only two months ahead of its November release date. With GTA 6 not expected in the next few months, the announcement of a delay could still happen.
GTA 6’s vague “2025” release means it could be pushed back as far as December 31st before an official delay announcement is needed. This is likely why Rockstar has not yet given an exact date for the game. While this wiggle room could be good news, it will still be a little surprising if the game isn’t delayed, given how common it is now. According to Kotaku, at least nine games from 2024, not including Assassin’s Creed, that were delayed until 2025. With delays so common, it’s hard not to question GTA 6’s vague release window.
Is A 2025 Release Still Possible For GTA 6?
GTA 6 Could Still Be Released On Time
Although there is a lot of precedent for Grand Theft Auto 6 getting delayed, it is still possible for the game to hit its 2025 release window. According to Polygon, GTA 6 has reportedly been in development as early as 2014. That means the game will have been worked on in some capacity for over a decade by the time it comes out. In contrast, GTA 5 was only in development for three years. With so much extra time put into it, hopefully, Rockstar knew that GTA 6 would be ready to go sometime this year before making the announcement.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is one of the most highly anticipated games right now, possibly ever. Even if one ignores the years of rampant speculation online, the trailer’s 232+ million views indicate just how much interest there is in the game. Rockstar likely knows this anticipation could easily turn to frustration if the game has too many delays. They likely waited until they were fairly certain it was ready before even giving a year for its release. Still, unforeseen issues could arise, so don’t be too surprised if Grand Theft Auto 6 doesn’t make the mark.
Source: LinkedIn, Ethan Gach/Kotaku, Michael McWhertor/Polygon
- Platform(s)
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PS5
, Xbox Series X|S - Released
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2025-00-00
