Since 2013, Grand Theft Auto V has been one of the top selling and most successful video games in history. Its three protagonists and realistic visuals have kept fans reeled for all these years. But now, 12 years later, fans are being left in the dark about when they can expect a new edition of the game.

In December 2023, Rockstar announced the next entry into the GTA lineup “Grand Theft Auto VI,” with an intended release of October 2025. After staffing issues and leaks of gameplay, the release was pushed back to May 2026. Then on Oct. 30, 2025, Rockstar fired 33 employees for “discussion and distribution of confidential information.” A week later, it was announced the release date would be pushed further back to late 2026, over a year from its original date. Rockstar Games attributes this delay to “finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve.”

This pushback has received mixed reactions from gamers and experts alike. New York University professor and gaming industry researcher Joost van Dreunen says the push back is better for the company, as well as gamers. In 2013, when GTA V released, the game made $815 million in sales within its first 24 hours. And van Dreunen says the delay will help Rockstar achieve this same goal for their next installment, especially with a release so close to Christmas.

“Rockstar delaying GTA VI is a flex,” said van Dreunen. “The studio knows anticipation is its most valuable currency, and it’s making the most of it.”

Van Druenen also said, “Strategically, this reshapes the 2026 holiday season, because when GTA drops, the whole industry goes quiet.”

However, gamers don’t necessarily see this as a diamond in the rough. The release of the game has become a part of the American meme culture, as many reference movies and national events. Some reference the film “Interstellar,” when the two main characters are on the planet where one hour is seven years on Earth and a character says, “Good. We can wait here for GTA VI.” Others take to social media and reference other aspects of pop culture with quips like “We got Mike Tyson out of retirement before GTA VI.”

Jonathan Borden, a student at the University of Southern Mississippi, says he is a little indifferent to the release delay.

“I play on PC, so the game will be released for consoles first. So I won’t be able to play on day one anyway,” Borden said.

Rockstar Games is currently aiming for a release date of Nov. 19, 2026, and while the industry calls it a successful ploy, all that fans of the game can hope for is another delay doesn’t come across again.