GTA 6 Could Still Face Another Delay, But November 2026 Feels 'More Real': Bloomberg Report

Grand Theft Auto 6 has seen two delays already, and now the release date is set at November 19th, 2026. Take-Two Interactive C.E.O., Strauss Zelnick, has gone on the record as being “highly confident” about that date—but fans are more uncertain. Other than that, Rockstar Games has since shut its mouth, and the size of the project only suggests anything goes.

Now, Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier has added some much-needed context.

For Button Mash, a podcast of The Ringer-Verse, Schreier explained that GTA 6 was not content complete “last I heard”. In other words, Rockstar was still completing missions and levels and pinning down what makes it into the final game. That alone is no guarantee of another delay, but it does leave the door open.

Here’s the thing, though. Schreier also mentioned that this new November 2026 date seems “more of a real thing” and something that’s more “solid” than earlier targets.

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Why Red Dead Redemption 2 Is the Key Comparison

Schreier noted that the timeline for GTA 6 was similar to Red Dead Redemption 2 and followed a very identical pattern:

- Initially announced for fall 2017

- Delayed to spring 2018

- Delayed again to fall 2018

- Finally released on October 26, 2018

That pattern matters. Rockstar has a history of delaying games until the developer feels they are ready, regardless of external factors. He wouldn’t be “super shocked” if GTA 6 slipped yet again, Schreier said, but there’s a precedent here: once Rockstar claims the latter half of a year as its release window, it generally holds.

Rockstar Isn’t Willing to Compromise

One point Schreier was clear about: Rockstar will not release GTA 6 in a compromised state.

“The stock of Take-Two lives or dies on this game,” he said, noting that every delay causes a sharp drop in share price. Even so, Rockstar would still rather delay than ship something unfinished. If the game isn’t 100 per cent ready by late 2026, another slip is preferable to damaging the brand.

That falls in line with Rockstar’s own statement after the second delay, where they said that the game needed some extra polish to be up to the standards players have come to expect from a GTA release.

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Where Things Stand Right Now

- First trailer: December 3, 2023 (confirmed 2025 release window)

- First delay: May 2025 → pushed to May 26, 2026

- Second delay: November 2025 → pushed to November 19, 2026

- Current status: Still finishing content; bug-fixing not fully underway

The takeaway? A third delay isn’t impossible. But unlike those earlier dates, Nov. 19, 2026, does not feel aspirational — it feels plotted.

If Rockstar does make that date, it will be because the game is as finished as is expected in-house. If not, history indicates they will not hesitate to push it again.