(Image credit: Deep Silver/PLAION)
The highly anticipated release of GTA 6 has been moved from 2025 to 2026, putting an end to speculations on whether it could clinch the GOTY awards over this year’s games. Although this decision is met with disappointment, some in the gaming community are seeing a silver lining.
A notable reaction comes from Luke Dale, the actor portraying Hans Capon in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Dale humorously shared the news on social media, captioning it with “WE’RE IN WITH A SHOT! GOTY!” Applause for him, genuinely.
The delay isn’t all bad news! A group that’s certainly feeling optimistic includes Hollow Knight: Silksong admirers, among them our own staff writer, Dustin Bailey. Bailey amusingly described his initial reaction as a “live-action version of ‘lol, lmao'” when he realized that Silksong is likely to launch before GTA 6.
Former Rockstar technical director, Obbe Vermeij, offers a positive outlook: “The good news is that they are confident they will make May. Otherwise, they wouldn’t set a date.” While wariness remains, some optimism persists.
Analysts like Dr. Serkan Toto of Kantan Games argue that 2025 could very well be the year of Nintendo. The delay allows Sony‘s Ghost of Yotei and possibly Microsoft’s Xbox handheld more breathing room.
Additional insights from Jason Schreier highlight improved working conditions at Rockstar compared to the notorious crunch experienced during Red Dead Redemption 2’s development.
Some in the gaming industry, like Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, see the delay as detrimental to the 2025 industry landscape. Devolver Digital, however, plans to go forward with their release.
Take-Two, in their statement, reaffirms support for Rockstar, emphasizing its commitment to excellence and the audience’s high expectations.
Rockstar’s strategic marketing approach means fans may not see any major trailers immediately, but former Rockstar director Vermeij believes the anticipation will make the release even more impactful.
The potential impact of GTA 6’s delay on the industry involves strategic release date adjustments across other titles. Blizzard’s ex-president Mike Ybarra noted that developers might shift their releases away to avoid direct competition with GTA 6.
Amid all industry dynamics, including mass layoffs and tariff impacts, analysts maintain hope for major releases like Switch 2 and GTA 6 to boost the gaming market despite these challenges.
Speculation surrounds the release strategy, with Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick previously expressing confidence in a 2025 debut—only to be jinxed by inevitable delays.
Intriguingly, industry insiders like Schreier have expected the delay for some time, citing workload and management’s desire to avoid crunch as significant factors.
Ultimately, as the gaming community braces for more updates from Rockstar, anticipation builds for what promises to be a groundbreaking gaming experience.