GTA 6 Unlikely To Be Delayed Again, Says Take-Two CEO

Summary

In a new interview, Take-Two Ceo Strauss Zelnick shared his confidence in Rockstar Games hitting its May 26, 2026, release date for Grand Theft Auto 6.
The CEO also shared that it became clear that the game needed more polish, which resulted in the recently announced delay.
That the company settled on a firm date wasn’t an accident, as they have “historically” reached them.

The recently announced delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 from late 2025 to May 2026 was a gutpunch of sorts for gamers, particularly as it’s been well over a decade since Rockstar Games released Grand Theft Auto 5 on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Key art showing Michael, Franklin, and Trevor in Grand Theft Auto 5.

Everything That Happened Since Grand Theft Auto 5 Was Released

We know it’s been a long wait for GTA 6, but when you think about it, we’ve all lived so many lives since GTA 5.

And while Trailer No. 2 did reignite the hype train, it still hasn’t stopped fans from worrying that a second delay could happen. They’re not the only ones, either, as rival developers and publishers are also worried about another delay. That said, in a new interview, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick shared his confidence in the team hitting their release date.

Rockstar And Take-Two Setting A Concrete Date Wasn’t An Accident

In speaking with IGN, Zelnick first iterated that as the launch window for GTA 6 got closer, it “became clear” that the game needed some more time to cook.

“As we get closer to completion of a title that’s seeking perfection, the needs, or lack thereof, for continued polish become clear,” Zelnick said. “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. And I supported, of course, that approach.”

With May 26, 2026, now firmly in place as Grand Theft Auto 6’s new release date, how confident is Zelnick in hitting that date?

“I think historically, when we set a specific date, generally speaking, we’ve been very good about reaching it.”

Even with the delay, Take-Two has quite the portfolio of games set to release this year, including Borderlands 4 and Mafia: The Old Country, something that has given Zelnick added confidence.

“I feel really good about how Fiscal 26 looks sitting here today,” Zelcnick said. “And 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.”

All that is to say, it looks like roughly one year from this writing, we’ll all be diving into Grand Theft Auto 6. Things can obviously change, as they evidently have, but Zelnick’s words do have an increased air of confidence around them.