A former Rockstar Games developer, Mike York, believes that the studio cannot afford to delay GTA 6 any further. He expects the game to release on November 19, 2026, regardless of its current state.
The title, one of the most anticipated games of all time, is expected to break every record. Rumors continue to circulate about its possible price, with some suggesting it could sell for $100, given the development costs exceeding one billion dollars. However, these are still only unconfirmed reports.
Currently, GTA 6 is in the final polishing phase, with release day not too far away. It remains unknown how refined the final version will be.
Why Rockstar Can’t Delay the Game Again
In an interview with Esports Insider, York, who previously worked as an animator, explained why the studio can’t afford another delay.
“If I know Rockstar Games, and I know the guys over there, one of the reasons for the delay in releasing GTA 6 is because they’re trying to make it look as best as it can possibly be,” he said. “They’re polishing stuff. I don’t think they’re completely finished with the game, given how much is on the line and how big everyone’s expectations are for it.”
He continued: “I think the game will be released in November 2026 as it’s a good time for the game to come out for Rockstar for multiple reasons to sell video games. If you want to sell a big amount of video games then that’s the perfect time for GTA 6 to come out with it being a month before Christmas. Usually companies only delay these things once or twice when they need to, so I think it will come out around that time.”
Fans Are Growing Tired of Waiting
York added that if GTA 6 is delayed again, fans might lose interest altogether.
“We’ve been waiting so long for GTA 6 already that if there was to be another delay, people will probably stop caring about its release even more,” he said. “If Rockstar Games delay GTA 6 again then the hype around the game will die down almost completely.”
“Right now, nobody is searching for GTA 6. Everyone knows there’s no news, there’s nothing to talk about… There’s a point to where you delay something so much that you start to make people angry.”
“People aren’t itching to find new details or a latest leak anymore, they’re over it. They are thinking, ‘it will come out when it comes out’, as they’re so burnt out from thinking it will come out soon and then it doesn’t… And then they’re like, ‘OK, whatever…’”
It’s hard to say whether that’s truly the case, given the enormous anticipation surrounding the game. Still, York raises an interesting question that Rockstar and publisher Take-Two are surely considering: how far can you stretch the hype before it finally breaks?
In other news, Rockstar Games officially described GTA 6 as “the largest game launch in history.”
