GTA 6: This is the real reason behind game's delay, according to an expert

GTA 6 is delayed until May 26, 2026, and gamers around the world are preparing themselves for an even longer wait than expected.

The game was originally slated for a release in ‘Fall 2025’, after the first trailer was released way back in 2023 - and fans are gutted, as you'd expect, that it'll be another year before they get to play it.

Millions were left dismayed by the news, with Rockstar releasing a statement saying: “We are very sorry that this is later than you expected. The interest and excitement surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team. We want to thank you for your support and your patience as we work to finish the game.

"With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.

"We look forward to sharing more information with you soon."

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, a renowned gaming reporter who is one of the best connected journalists in the industry, has posted on social media about the news.

As well as stating that many in the industry actually believed the game would not be released in 2025 anyway, he claimed that one reason for the delay is to avoid the race to get the game ready in time which has impacted Rockstar before.

Writing on BlueSky, he said: “Nobody I’ve talked to at Rockstar has believed Fall 2025 was a real window for a very long time now. Too much work, not enough time, and what appears to be a real desire from management to avoid brutal crunch. GTA VI slipping to 2026 has seemed inevitable for months if not longer.”

When challenged, he added: “Skepticism is always healthy, but I've been keeping tabs on this for years (since my big 2018 story about Red Dead 2's crunch). They certainly haven't eliminated *all* overtime but everyone I've talked to at Rockstar says it's night and day from previous projects. If that changes, I'll report on it.”

Why not read…

GTA 6 delayed: The biggest reactions as dismayed gamers forced to wait until 2026

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