GTA 6 development stumbles, release possibly delayed to as far as 2026, says report

Development setbacks for GTA 6 raise concern of a possible delay to 2026, as sources suggest challenges in meeting the game's initial release window.

As GTA 6 development stumbles, release date may get pushed back as far as 2026, raising big concern among officials. (Rockstar Games)

The much-anticipated GTA 6 release may face a significant setback as reports indicate its development is falling behind schedule. Initial excitement sparked by the game's announcement in December 2023, with a targeted release for 2025, may now be overshadowed by concerns about meeting this deadline. The problem is reportedly stemming from GTA 6 development issues.

According to sources familiar with the project cited by Kotaku, the development of GTA 6 is struggling to keep pace, prompting worries among senior Rockstar officials about the possibility of missing the planned release window. This concern has led to a purported decision to mandate employees to return to the office starting April 2024 as reported by Bloomberg in February, signalling the company's apprehension about completing the final stages of development remotely and avoiding a potential release delay until 2026.

GTA 6: Uncertainties in Release Timeline

Despite efforts to stay on track, uncertainties persist regarding the game's release timeline. While an internal target of spring 2025 has been mentioned, insiders suggest a more realistic scenario could see the game launching in fall 2025. Rockstar's reluctance to provide a specific release window beyond "2025" underscores the uncertainty surrounding GTA 6's development progress.

GTA 6 Speculations and Fan Theories

Recent speculations align with a fan theory suggesting that GTA 6's development may conclude by early 2025, based on job listings indicating the completion of localization work in Q1 of that year. However, considering the franchise's history of delays, the possibility of GTA 6 slipping into 2026 remains plausible.

Should such a delay occur, it could also impact the release of the PC port, potentially pushing its availability to 2027 or later. This scenario mirrors the experience with GTA 5, which faced significant delays for its PC version, ultimately lagging behind its console counterparts.

As fans eagerly await further updates, the uncertainty surrounding GTA 6's development serves as a reminder of the challenges inherent in bringing such ambitious projects to fruition within set timelines.