Is GTA 6 Delayed? Game Studios Are Holding Their Breath

Rockstar hasn’t even released GTA 6 yet, but it’s already controlling the industry. Game studios big and small are carefully planning their release schedules to avoid being crushed by the hype wave.

According to Ben Porter, director at Newzoo, making the wrong call could be devastating.

"If you're a game company who's holding its breath waiting for GTA 6 to get out, and then it gets delayed by six months, what do you do? Some companies are going to tank as a result of that."

You can read the full story and speculation as to why the GTA 6 release date is so mysterious in our complete info text about New Grand Theft Auto!

Right now, GTA 6 is set to launch this fall on consoles, with no confirmed PC release date. But massive game delays are nothing new – just ask Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, or Assassin’s Creed Shadows. If Rockstar pushes GTA 6 into 2026, studios that planned their own releases around it might have to delay again or risk launching alongside the biggest game of the decade.

For smaller studios already struggling financially, an unexpected delay could be the final nail in the coffin. But for the right developer, a last-minute delay could also be a golden opportunity—if they can drop something that keeps GTA fans entertained while they wait.

Clues in Take-Two’s Strategy?

One hint that a delay might be coming: Borderlands 4 is set to release on September 23, 2025. Both Borderlands 4 and GTA 6 are published by Take-Two, so why would they put two major games in direct competition? Could this mean that GTA 6 is quietly being pushed back to 2026?

Of course, that’s just speculation. But as Porter puts it, the entire industry is like a fleet of ships trying to avoid a massive iceberg. Every studio is either pulling their game forward or pushing it back – doing whatever it takes to avoid getting steamrolled by Rockstar’s juggernaut.

Will GTA 6 Save the Industry?

Some believe GTA 6 will breathe new life into the gaming market, bringing in more players, more console sales, and renewed investor interest. Porter, however, isn’t convinced that it will be a universal win.

"It will certainly have an effect. But if every studio’s strategy is to get out of the way, how is that going to rejuvenate the industry?"

One thing is certain – whether it launches in 2025 or 2026, GTA 6 will be the biggest event in gaming in years. The question is, will other studios survive long enough to see it?