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

In February, I had the opportunity to speak with Strauss Zelnick, the head of Take-Two Interactive, about the then-anticipated fall 2025 release of GTA 6. At that time, Zelnick expressed strong confidence in meeting the deadline, stating he felt "really good about it." However, just three months later, in a move that surprised few, the release of GTA 6 was postponed to May 26, 2026.

Curious about what prompted this delay, I followed up with Zelnick during an interview aligned with Take-Two's recent financial disclosures. He explained that as GTA 6 approached its original launch date, the necessity for additional refinement became evident. Zelnick emphasized, "As we get closer to completion of a title that's seeking perfection, the needs or lack thereof, for continued polish become clear. In this case, there was an opportunity with a small amount of incremental time, we thought, to make sure Rockstar Games achieves its creative vision with no limitations. And I supported, of course, that approach."

The delay pushes GTA 6's release beyond Take-Two's current fiscal year, impacting short-term financial projections. Despite this, Zelnick remains optimistic about the company's future lineup, which includes eagerly awaited titles like Gearbox's Borderlands 4, Hangar 13's Mafia: The Old Country, and new entries in the NBA 2K and WWE 2K series. He commented, "I feel really good about how Fiscal 26 looks sitting here today. And while of course, delays pain me — how could they not? — the most important thing to do is to support your teams in their search for perfection."

GTA 6 Jason Duval Screenshots

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When I revisited the topic of GTA 6's release with Zelnick, inquiring about the confidence in meeting the new May 26, 2026 date, he seemed even more assured. He noted, "I think historically when we set a specific date, generally speaking, we've been very good about reaching it." This statement implies a strong commitment to the new release date, suggesting that another delay is unlikely, though not impossible.

The release of GTA 6 Trailer 2 and the accompanying information from Rockstar have fueled speculation among fans, with some believing that Liberty City might feature in GTA 6, either at launch or as post-launch downloadable content (DLC).

As we eagerly await more details, there's plenty to explore about GTA 6, including all the latest discoveries, a collection of 70 new screenshots, and expert analyses on how GTA 6 will perform on the PS5 Pro.