Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has provided new insights into the recent Grand Theft Auto 6 delay, strongly indicating the game was originally targeting a late November or early December 2025 release. In a recent interview, Zelnick described the postponement as a "pretty short delay," specifically noting it's less than six months from the original planned launch date.

The gaming world was electrified in December 2023 when Rockstar Games unveiled the breathtaking first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6. While the initial announcement simply mentioned a 2025 release window, parent company Take-Two Interactive later refined this to Fall 2025. As months passed without new information from Rockstar, speculation grew about potential delays, which was confirmed earlier this month with the announcement of a new release date: May 26, 2026.

The Delay Explained

Despite initial disappointment among fans, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has characterized the delay as relatively minor. In his CNBC interview, Zelnick emphasized this is "a short one" and highlighted Rockstar's historical reliability in meeting announced release dates once they're set. His comments about the delay being under six months strongly suggest Rockstar was originally aiming for a late November or early December 2025 launch before pushing it to May 2026.

This development has naturally raised concerns about potential further delays as the new May 2026 date approaches. Rockstar's history with Red Dead Redemption 2, which saw two delays before its October 2018 release, adds fuel to these worries. However, Zelnick's reassurance about Rockstar's track record with set dates offers some comfort to anxious fans.

Development Timeline Revealed

After over 500 days of silence, Take-Two and Rockstar are finally sharing behind-the-scenes details. Zelnick recently disclosed that full development on Grand Theft Auto 6 began "in earnest" in 2020. The careful phrasing suggests pre-production work likely started even earlier, possibly in 2018 or 2019 following the successful launch of Red Dead Redemption 2.