21 December 2025

Former Rockstar Dev is Confident GTA 6 Won’t Be Delayed Again

By newsgame

A former Rockstar developer who worked on GTA 5 is confident that Grand Theft Auto 6 will not be delayed again, warning about the consequences of another pushback. The newest entry in the mega-popular franchise from Rockstar has easily stood as one of the most highly-anticipated games of recent years, with fans clamoring for more news. Each trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 has amassed millions of views, while the next GTA has captured “Most Anticipated Game” at The Game Awards two years in a row. However, the game has seen a long and rocky development cycle.

Rockstar first officially announced Grand Theft Auto 6 in December 2023, just over ten years after the release of Grand Theft Auto 5. GTA 6‘s first trailer smashed through records on YouTube following its debut, becoming the most-watched non-music video on the first day of its release. However, the game has been subject to multiple delays in the two years since its first trailer, originally aiming for a Fall 2025 launch before pushing the game back to May 2026 and later to its current release date of November 19, 2026. Now, a former Rockstar employee is convinced that GTA 6‘s new release date will be final.

Rockstar Teases GTA 6 Launch Expectations

Rockstar’s expectations for the GTA 6 launch are about as high as they can possible be, according to the company’s latest teaser.

Former Rockstar Dev Is Confident GTA 6 Won’t Be Delayed Again

In an interview with Esports Insider, former GTA 5 animator Mike York spoke about the multiple delays for GTA 6. York reaffirms Rockstar’s current scheduled release date for GTA 6 in November 2026, suggesting that the delay was likely for Rockstar to add an extra layer of polish. The former Rockstar employee commented on the prime release window for the game, with GTA 6 likely to be the hottest new game for the 2026 holiday season. York did, however, warn Rockstar against delaying the game’s release date any further, suggesting that more delays could cause fan excitement to “die down completely.”

York went on to address the frustration that many fans have expressed with GTA 6‘s repeated delays. The developer suggested that, due to droughts in new information about GTA 6 beyond its delays, fans might begin to grow disinterested in the game. The developer went so far as to suggest that another delay could cause fans to “stop caring” about GTA 6‘s release, despite the rumored grandiosity of Rockstar’s next big release. The GTA studio has also brought significant controversy upon itself throughout recent months, with multiple Rockstar employees recently laid off for “leaking game features from upcoming and unannounced games.”

GTA 6 Will Push Big Changes to the Franchise

While fans continue to wait for more news about Grand Theft Auto 6, leaks have served as much of the available information about gameplay. GTA 6‘s interpretation of Vice City is rumored to be one of Rockstar’s most complex open-world environments yet, with rumors suggesting the city will boast 700 different stores and interiors to explore. Underwater gameplay is also said to be a major new element coming with Grand Theft Auto 6, said to be introducing new ways to explore beneath the ocean off the coast of Vice City.

gta 6 vice city buildings and tennis court

While fans will likely be waiting a while for more from Grand Theft Auto 6, some GTA Online players have already been hunting for hints about the next game. A recently-added mission has led some fans to suspect that a side character from GTA 5 may make a cameo in GTA 6, with protagonist Michael’s son Jimmy said to be moving away from home. Many fans have also caught examples of items featured in GTA 6‘s trailers being backported to GTA Online, including several pieces of in-game clothing. Gamers eagerly awaiting Grand Theft Auto 6 can only hope that the game’s November 2026 delay finally becomes its last.