Grand Theft Auto VI release postponed to May 2026, Take-Two shares drop 6%

The long-awaited release of Grand Theft Auto VI, the latest installment of the popular video game series, has been postponed by several months. Photo / AFP

The creative team behind the popular Grand Theft Auto video game series postponed the launch of the latest instalment by several months to May 2026, hitting the shares of parent Take-Two Interactive.

Grand Theft Auto VI was originally due to be released later this year, with a trailer showing that it would be set in a Miami-like Vice City and would feature a playable female protagonist for the first time.

“We are very sorry that this is later than you expected,” publisher Rockstar Games said in a statement.

“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,” it said.

“We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.”

Its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V, was released in 2013 and sold more than 200 million copies.

Beyond just Rockstar Games, the whole industry is laser-focused on the Grand Theft Auto launch at a time when the sector has been experiencing stalled growth, after riding high on Covid-related confinements, breaking sales records.

Strauss Zelnick, chief executive of Take-Two, supported the move in a statement released by the parent company.

“While we take the movement of our titles seriously and appreciate the vast and deep global anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI, we remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence,” Zelnick said.

The first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI appeared in December 2023 and has been seen more than 250 million times on Rockstar’s YouTube channel.

Analysts mostly agreed that the delay was not a surprise and welcomed that an actual release date was now on the books.

“While some investors may view this as a delay from the previously suggested ‘fall 2025’ window, the announcement aligns closely with our expectations and should not come as a surprise,” said analyst Mike Hickey of Benchmark.

“Consistent with Rockstar’s track record, this timing reinforces their commitment to product quality over deadline adherence,” he added.

Set to the Tom Petty song Love Is A Long Road, it opens with a female character named Lucia being released from prison in what appears to be a fictionalised version of Florida.

Near the close of the 1m 30s clip, she tells her male partner in crime: “The only way we are going to get through this is by sticking together, being a team.”

They go on to burst into a store with pistols drawn and bandanas covering the lower halves of their faces.

Fans saw the scene as confirmation that rumours of a Bonnie and Clyde-type crime couple are coming true.

Along with its wild success, the Grand Theft Auto series has faced criticism over its violent content.

Critics have from the beginning accused Grand Theft Auto of glorifying violence and encouraging players to engage in criminal behaviour – allegations rejected by New York-based Take-Two Interactive.

Grand Theft Auto players sell drugs, fight, rob, go on car rampages and more. Game-play options also included assaulting sex workers and going to strip clubs, raising the ire of activists.

Near 4.30pm GMT (4.30am NZT), Take-Two shares were down 6.0%.

“The stock shouldn’t be down much on that, but people remain uncertain about whether there will be further delays,” said Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush Securities.

– Agence France-Presse