The eagerly anticipated delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 has officially arrived—unsurprising to some, but still a major blow to the gaming industry. While a few, including former Rockstar technical director Obbe Vermeij, see the delay as a positive move, industry analyst Mat Piscatella of Circana warns of broader implications.
Industry Growth Stunted
Speaking to GamesRadar+, Piscatella explained that GTA 6 had the potential to reignite consumer interest—especially among lapsed console gamers. “It’s a game that could have brought lapsed players back to consoles and driven additional hardware sales,” he noted. “If it had been successful, it could have created growth months for the industry, especially in the console space, and even could have reignited investor confidence.”
A Void in the Market
Piscatella stressed the delay leaves a gap at a critical time. “Nobody is served by this move to 2026. It wasn’t against the 2025 holiday season—it was the heartbeat of what success could’ve been,” he said.
The delay is projected to cause a mid-single-digit decline in U.S. video game spending, marking the industry’s weakest pre-pandemic performance. Uncertainty surrounding pricing and availability could deepen these losses further.
Rising Costs Across the Board
Much of this uncertainty stems from ongoing price shifts across the software and hardware markets. Tariffs and rising production costs have begun influencing pricing strategy industry-wide.
Nintendo confirmed that accessories for its upcoming Switch 2 will launch at higher prices, with new games priced at $80. Microsoft has also raised global prices for its Xbox Series X/S consoles, with first-party titles expected to match the $80 price point later this year.
New Release Date for GTA 6
As for Grand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar Games now plans to launch the title on May 26, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The delay reportedly aims to avoid the severe crunch periods the studio experienced during previous game developments.
Despite the pushback, parent company Take-Two Interactive still expects healthy net bookings for the fiscal year, suggesting cautious optimism amid the setback.