Take-Two CEO on GTA 6 Delay: 'Painful but Necessary for Creative Vision'

Back in February, I posed a straightforward question to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick: how confident was he that *Grand Theft Auto 6* would meet its original fall 2025 release window? His response was clear and optimistic — he felt “really good about it.” However, just three months later, the inevitable happened: Rockstar Games officially announced a delay, pushing the release date to May 26, 2026.

What caused this shift between February and May? During a recent interview aligned with Take-Two’s latest financial report, I asked Zelnick exactly that. He explained that as development on *GTA 6* progressed and the finish line came into view, it became increasingly apparent that additional time was needed to bring the game to its fullest potential.

“As we get closer to completion of a title that’s seeking perfection, the needs or lack thereof for continued polish become clear,” Zelnick stated. “In this case, there was an opportunity with a small amount of incremental time to ensure Rockstar Games achieves its creative vision without limitations. And of course, I fully supported that approach.”

While shifting *GTA 6* out of Take-Two’s current fiscal year and into the next undoubtedly impacts short-term financial projections, Zelnick remains upbeat about the company’s upcoming lineup. This includes titles like Gearbox’s *Borderlands 4*, Hangar 13’s *Mafia: The Old Country*, and new entries in the popular *NBA 2K* and *WWE 2K* franchises.

“I feel really good about how Fiscal 26 looks sitting here today,” he added. “Delays are never easy — they do pain me — but our top priority is always supporting our teams in their pursuit of excellence and creative integrity.”

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With the new release date set, the natural follow-up question — and one I previously asked Zelnick in February — remains: how confident is he that Rockstar will deliver *GTA 6* by May 26, 2026?

This time, Zelnick sounded even more assured:

“Historically, when we set a specific date, we've generally been very good about hitting it.”

That statement, while not an outright guarantee, strongly signals confidence in meeting the new deadline. Of course, nothing is ever certain in game development — but now that *GTA 6* has a firm release date, another delay would come as a major surprise.

The recent unveiling of *GTA 6* Trailer 2, along with detailed information from Rockstar, has fueled widespread speculation about what players can expect from what is poised to become the biggest video game of all time. Some fans believe Liberty City could make an appearance — either at launch or through post-launch DLC.

Until then, stay tuned for more updates on *GTA 6*, including [ttpp], a comprehensive collection of 70 brand new screenshots, and expert analysis on how GTA 6 will perform on PS5 Pro.