Back in February, I had the opportunity to ask Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, about his confidence in meeting the then-projected fall 2025 release date for GTA 6. At the time, he expressed strong confidence, stating he felt "really good about it." However, just three months later, in a move that surprised few, GTA 6's release was postponed to May 26, 2026.
Curious about what led to this delay, I revisited the topic with Zelnick during a recent interview that coincided with the publication of Take-Two's latest financial results. He explained that as the game approached its launch, the need for additional polish became increasingly evident. Zelnick remarked, "As we get closer to completion of a title that's seeking perfection, the needs or lack thereof, for continued polish become clear. 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."
The delay of GTA 6, pushing it beyond Take-Two's current fiscal year, undoubtedly affects the company's short-term financial projections. Despite this, Zelnick remains optimistic about the company's upcoming lineup, which includes anticipated titles such as Gearbox's Borderlands 4, Hangar 13's Mafia: The Old Country, and new entries in the NBA 2K and WWE 2K series. He stated, "I feel really good about how Fiscal 26 looks sitting here today. 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."
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Given this context, I couldn't help but circle back to my original question from February: How confident is Zelnick that Rockstar will meet the new release date of May 26, 2026? This time, his response was even more assertive. He noted, "I think historically when we set a specific date, generally speaking, we've been very good about reaching it." This statement suggests a strong commitment to the new timeline, hinting that further delays are highly unlikely.
The release of GTA 6 Trailer 2 and the accompanying information from Rockstar have fueled speculation and excitement about what could be the most significant video game launch ever. Some fans are even theorizing that Liberty City might make an appearance in GTA 6, either at launch or as post-launch DLC.
As we eagerly await further updates, you can explore more about GTA 6 on our site, including a comprehensive breakdown of all the details we've uncovered so far, a gallery featuring 70 new screenshots, and expert analysis on how GTA 6 will perform on the PS5 Pro.
