San Francisco (United States) (AFP) – The newest installment to the blockbuster “Grand Theft Auto” video game franchise has been delayed again, this time until November 2026, its creators announced Wednesday. “We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve,” Rockstar Games said in a post on X. Release of the game had already been pushed from late 2025 to early 2026. Rockstar said it will now come out on November 19 of next year. Shares of Rockstar-parent Take-Two Interactive sank more than eight percent in after-hours trades.
Word of the delay came the same day dozens of people protested outside Rockstar offices in Edinburgh, Scotland, accusing the multi-billion dollar studio of “blatant union busting” by firing 31 people. Rockstar, whose upcoming sixth edition of the cash-cow series is among the hottest releases of 2026, has accused the employees of “distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum, a violation of our company policies.” But the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which called the demonstration, rejected that claim, arguing that the sacked workers were all members of a private discussion channel linked to the union. Rockstar did not immediately respond to an AFP inquiry.
“GTA VI” is on course to become one of the biggest entertainment product launches of all time. As popular as it is notorious for its sexual and violent content, the franchise has allowed players to roleplay as criminals doing dirty deeds across sprawling cityscapes since its first entry in 1997.
The newest game was originally due to be released later this year, with a trailer having shown that it would be set in a Miami-like Vice City and would feature a playable female protagonist for the first time. Set to the Tom Petty song “Love Is A Long Road,” it opens with a female character named Lucia being released from prison in what appears to be a fictionalized version of Florida. Near the close of the one-minute-and-30-second clip, she tells her male partner in crime: “The only way we are going to get through this is by sticking together, being a team.” The pair go on to burst into a store with pistols drawn and bandanas covering the lower halves of their faces. Fans saw the scene as confirmation that rumors of a “Bonnie and Clyde” type crime couple are coming true.
Along with its wild success, the GTA series has faced criticism over its violent content. Critics have from the beginning accused Grand Theft Auto of glorifying violence and encouraging players to engage in criminal behavior – allegations rejected by New York-based Take-Two Interactive. GTA players sell drugs, fight, rob, go on car rampages and more. Gameplay options also included assaulting sex workers and going to strip clubs, raising the ire of activists.
© 2024 AFP
