Reports give hint on GTA 6 release date, and it's bad news

Fariha Bhatti Published 03/06/2022

Rockstar Games has several hit titles under its belt, but nothing matches the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Fans of the free-roaming game are now waiting for GTA 6 with bated breath but a leak suggests that the game’s release date is far in the future.

Rockstar has rolled out some of the greatest gaming titles in its storied history but GTA’s open-world charm remains irreplaceable. Whether it’s offline missions or online role-playing, GTA became the ultimate comfort game for many. Players are still hooked on GTA 5, but confirmation of a new installment has caused a buzz. However, the new game may not be coming anytime soon, despite some rumors.

A string of reports and rumors hinted that GTA 6 may be released as soon as 2023 or 2024 but players may have to wait longer than that to enjoy the latest installment.

What is the GTA 6 release date?

According to Rockstar’s internal reports, the release date of GTA 6 isn’t until 2026 at the earliest.

According to Take-Two Interactive’s internal plans, GTA 6 is not in the pipeline for the next three years. The fiscal report mentioned all the Rockstar games that are in development with expected release dates between 2023 and 2025. The list didn’t include GTA 6, confirming that it’s still in the pre-alpha phase. It’s possible that Take-Two is keeping a very tight seal on news related to the game but more likely is that the reports suggesting a 2023 release were overly optimistic.

GTA 5 is still topping charts as rumors of a new installment brew. According to Take-Two, the game sold yet another 5 million units over the last three months in 2022. GTA 5 is still moving units at a healthy clip and the game remains culturally relevant thanks to role-playing servers. These numbers confirm that players aren’t done with GTA 5 yet.

Considering the astronomical production costs and lengthy development cycles associated with Grand Theft Auto, it makes sense that GTA 6 would take years to complete.

While it’s likely not coming out any time soon, fans can take solace knowing that GTA 6 is in the works. Rockstar announced the game on February 4th, 2022 and since then, no official trailer or teaser has been released. The game is well underway, but players will have to wait indefinitely to finally enjoy Rockstar’s open-world game.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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