Rockstar Games has confirmed a fresh delay to the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, pushing the launch to May 26, 2026. Initially expected in 2025, the game will now release exclusively for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
While disappointing for fans, the delay comes alongside another striking development: GTA 6 is expected to be the most expensive video game ever made. According to industry estimates, Rockstar has already spent over $2 billion on the project—surpassing the construction cost of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, which was completed in 2010 for $1.5 billion.
A 12-year wait and a record-breaking budget
It has now been over a decade since the launch of GTA V, which became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, generating $1 billion in its first three days. In contrast, GTA 6 has seen an unusually long development cycle—one marked by changing technological standards, shifting internal policies, and enormous financial investment.
The $2 billion budget reflects the game’s reported scale: a sprawling, Vice City-inspired map; advanced AI systems for non-player characters; photorealistic graphics; and hundreds of licensed music tracks. These elements are expected to make GTA 6 one of the most technically ambitious titles in gaming history.
Deliberate pacing and internal decisions
Sources close to Rockstar have indicated that the Fall 2025 timeline was never fully realistic. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, developers within the company had long expected a delay due to the sheer scale of the game and a conscious effort by management to avoid the kind of “crunch culture” the studio has previously been criticised for.
Parent company Take-Two Interactive has backed the move. CEO Strauss Zelnick noted that while the delay may impact short-term projections, the decision reflects the company’s broader commitment to long-term quality and creative vision.
Impact on the wider industry
The delay has also created space for other publishers. Studios that may have been hesitant to launch major titles in late 2025—concerned about direct competition with Rockstar—may now look to firm up their own release calendars. Titles such as Borderlands 4, Mafia: The Old Country, and Civilization VII are still expected within the next year.
In the interim, GTA 6 continues to generate enormous anticipation, fuelled by the December 2023 trailer which surpassed 100 million views within days. While Rockstar remains tight-lipped on additional details, the scale of investment and expectation suggest that this will be one of the most significant cultural releases in gaming to date.
If GTA 6 delivers even half of what’s being promised, it could redefine open-world gaming once again. But for now, gamers admit that we got GTA 6 costing more than the Burj Khalifa… before we got GTA 6.
