GTA 6 release date history: every official date and delay

Quick answer

• Rockstar confirmed GTA 6 was in development on February 4, 2022, but gave no date.
• Trailer 1 (December 4, 2023) set the first window: 2025. Take-Two narrowed it to fall 2025 on May 16, 2024.
• On May 2, 2025 Rockstar moved the game to May 26, 2026. On November 6, 2025 it moved again, to November 19, 2026.
• Pre-orders opened June 25, 2026 with the November 19 date unchanged, and the Launch Trailer on October 15, 2026 kept it. That is the date that stands.

February 4, 2022: the game is confirmed, no date

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto Community Update on the Newswire confirmed that "active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway." It gave no title, no trailer and no release window. That post is the start of the official record.

December 4, 2023: Trailer 1 sets 2025

On November 8, 2023, Rockstar wrote: "We are very excited to let you know that in early December, we will release the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto."

Trailer 1 landed on December 4, 2023. Rockstar's post for it says "Coming 2025 to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S." Take-Two's press release the same day said Grand Theft Auto VI was "coming to PlayStation® 5 computer entertainment systems and Xbox Series X|S games and entertainment systems in 2025." That was the first official release window.

May 16, 2024: narrowed to fall 2025

In its fourth-quarter and fiscal year 2024 results, Take-Two's lineup listed Grand Theft Auto VI for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in "Fall of Calendar 2025." The release called this "a narrowing of Rockstar Games' previously established window of Calendar 2025 to Fall of Calendar 2025." The window moved from a full year to a season, but no specific day was ever announced for 2025.

May 2, 2025: first delay, to May 26, 2026

Rockstar's Newswire post "Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Coming May 26, 2026" announced the first delay and gave the game its first exact date. Rockstar's statement said: "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."

It added: "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."

Trailer 2 followed four days later, on May 6, 2025. See the Trailer 2 breakdown.

November 6, 2025: second delay, to November 19, 2026

Rockstar's Newswire post "Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Set to Launch November 19, 2026" moved the game a second time. Rockstar said: "We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve." It added: "While the wait is a little longer, we are incredibly excited for players to experience the sprawling state of Leonida and a return to modern day Vice City."

Take-Two Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick backed the move in the company's results the same day: "Rockstar Games will now release Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, 2026, and we remain both excited and confident they will deliver an unrivalled blockbuster entertainment experience."

June 24, 2026: pre-orders, same date

Take-Two's pre-order press release kept November 19, 2026. It listed Grand Theft Auto VI at $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition at $99.99, with pre-orders starting at midnight local time on June 25, 2026. For the full price and edition breakdown, see the price and pre-order guide.

October 15, 2026: Launch Trailer, same date

The Launch Trailer arrived about five weeks before release, still carrying November 19. It debuted "Flower in a Hurricane" by Justice feat. Tame Impala, SZA, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. The full breakdown is in the Launch Trailer guide.

Not confirmed yet

• Any promise that November 19 is final. Rockstar announced it in the delay post and Take-Two repeated it in the pre-order release, but neither has used the word "final."
• A launch time. Rockstar has not said what hour the game unlocks; see the release time guide.
• A PC date. Every announcement so far names PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only.

Wrap-up

The official record is: confirmed in 2022, announced for 2025, narrowed to fall 2025, dated May 26, 2026, then dated November 19, 2026. Two delays, both to give the game more time, and the current date has held through pre-orders and the Launch Trailer. November 19, 2026 is the date every official page now points to.

When was GTA 6 first announced?

Rockstar confirmed the game was in development on February 4, 2022. The first trailer and the first release window (2025) came on December 4, 2023.

How many times has GTA 6 been delayed?

Twice. From 2025 to May 26, 2026 (announced May 2, 2025), and from May 26, 2026 to November 19, 2026 (announced November 6, 2025).

What was the original GTA 6 release date?

The first window was "2025" from Trailer 1. Take-Two narrowed it to fall 2025 in May 2024. The first exact day ever announced was May 26, 2026.

Is November 19, 2026 the final GTA 6 release date?

It is the date Rockstar and Take-Two currently announce, and it has held through pre-orders and the Launch Trailer. Neither company has called it final.