The Second GTA 6 Delay: The Consequences
OPla G
yesterday 22:30
7
1GTA 6 is such an important game that a single announcement about another delay — one that actually had its reasons — triggered massive consequences that are hard to overstate.
Minus: We now have to wait another full year. For much of today’s audience, used to getting everything instantly, that’s a real shock.
Another minus: The automatic postponement of the PC version gets pushed even further. Zelnick can keep repeating what he said two weeks ago on CNBC.
The unionization story (part one, two, three, four) only adds to the tension. It hurts employee morale, and nobody really knows how things will end for Rockstar Games. The consequences could be anything — even a third delay in the worst-case scenario.
IO Interactive (the creators of Hitman), currently working on 007 First Light — a James Bond game set for March 26 — were among those happy. Hakan Abrak, head of the Danish studio, commented.
Their colleagues at Newzoo note that over the last four years, roughly 45% of such titles were released between August and November. Yet even multiplayer giants like Fortnite and Roblox will feel the impact of GTA VI, having to fight for players’ time and attention.
Beyond that, the delay may also influence the launch timing of the next console generation, projected for late 2027 or even 2028. The logic is simple: take full advantage of the current cycle, launch the next gen, wait for the GTA 6 re-release, and cash in again.
One example showing how far the GTA VI phenomenon has spread beyond gaming came from… the Polish Sejm. Pro-russian MP Witold Tumanowicz from the Confederation party declared during a parliamentary speech that the delay was a major scandal and that “if people don’t take to the streets after something like this…I don’t know what will happen”. Apparently, the Poles took the phrase “finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve” a bit more personally.
For players
Plus: Fears of an unpolished release and a repeat of the Cyberpunk 2077 situation can be set aside. Everything is being done to deliver this long-awaited title in perfect condition.Minus: We now have to wait another full year. For much of today’s audience, used to getting everything instantly, that’s a real shock.
Another minus: The automatic postponement of the PC version gets pushed even further. Zelnick can keep repeating what he said two weeks ago on CNBC.
I think it’s moving towards PC and business is moving towards open rather than closed.
But we’re already used to R* releasing their masterpieces on PC at least a year later. This is due to timed console exclusivity — something that costs serious money — as well as the desire to optimize the product as much as possible. So when should we expect a PC release? Late 2027 at best, or even later.
For developers
You’d think the people making the game would be pleased—after all, they now have more time to fix flaws and bugs. And the pressure placed on them certainly doesn’t help with that. But as always, there’s another side to the coin. An extra six months of polishing could mean six more months of crunch compared to the original plan. They won’t be able to breathe out before summer break (if they even get one) but only closer to the Christmas and New Year holidays.The unionization story (part one, two, three, four) only adds to the tension. It hurts employee morale, and nobody really knows how things will end for Rockstar Games. The consequences could be anything — even a third delay in the worst-case scenario.
For the rights holder
In theory, Take-Two suffers because a lucrative release window is slipping away yet again. Investor outflow pushes the stock down—though so far the company has managed to avoid a major plunge. The CEO is actively working to stabilize it. But he and other executives could also be playing the market, knowing when prices will fall or rise. Everyone remembers the similar manipulations tied to the assassination missions in GTA 5?For other video games
Everyone knows that game studios are afraid to compete https://gta.com.ua/en/news_details.phtml?news_id=4147 with Grand Theft Auto VI. Publishers are doing everything they can to avoid that fate. In May, those aiming for fall 2026 breathed a sigh of relief; in November, it was the studios targeting spring. Tellingly, all AAA developers were planning to fire off their releases before May 26.IO Interactive (the creators of Hitman), currently working on 007 First Light — a James Bond game set for March 26 — were among those happy. Hakan Abrak, head of the Danish studio, commented.
It would be a lie not to say that obviously spring looks really good. I want to say in the same breath that GTA 6 is a welcome thing for the industry. I do believe a lot of gamers who maybe haven’t played for a while will get into things again, and generally for the industry as a whole, I think that will be amazing.For those targeting next fall — like Marvel’s Wolverine — this will be a real challenge. However, analysts at Alinea Analytics think only a few will take such a risk, and the traditionally jam-packed end of the year will be much quieter, especially in terms of single-player games.
Their colleagues at Newzoo note that over the last four years, roughly 45% of such titles were released between August and November. Yet even multiplayer giants like Fortnite and Roblox will feel the impact of GTA VI, having to fight for players’ time and attention.
For consoles
The arrival of a new franchise title on store shelves is guaranteed to nudge PS4 and Xbox One holdouts toward buying modern consoles — even though prices are creeping up. The holiday season in November and December will amplify this effect. Without a doubt, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sales will rise significantly.Beyond that, the delay may also influence the launch timing of the next console generation, projected for late 2027 or even 2028. The logic is simple: take full advantage of the current cycle, launch the next gen, wait for the GTA 6 re-release, and cash in again.
For the entertainment industry
It’s entirely reasonable to expect that not only game developers, but also filmmakers and showrunners, will step aside to avoid clashing with the next Grand Theft Auto.One example showing how far the GTA VI phenomenon has spread beyond gaming came from… the Polish Sejm. Pro-russian MP Witold Tumanowicz from the Confederation party declared during a parliamentary speech that the delay was a major scandal and that “if people don’t take to the streets after something like this…I don’t know what will happen”. Apparently, the Poles took the phrase “finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve” a bit more personally.
