Grand Theft Auto VI is just under a year away from getting released and according to a new report, rival game publishers are keeping vigilant. The sixth installment has been in development for roughly a decade which for Rockstar Games is somewhat of a normal development timeframe for its titles. There have been multiple potential release targets thought to be true but a fall 2025 window was revealed during an earnings call this past spring and rival game publishers are said to be keeping a keen eye on whether that goal will be met.
Per Bloomberg:
- “Anticipation is so high that some competing game publishers are waiting as long as possible to commit to their release dates for the fall, according to people familiar with their deliberations who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.”
- “The publishers want to see whether GTA 6 will make its deadline or slip into 2026, these people say, and they’re determined to keep their own games far, far away.
Some GTA records (via Statista and VGC)
- Franchise lifetime total sales is nearly a half billion at 435 million units sold
- Grand Theft Auto V set the record for the fastest title in the entertainment industry to reach a $1 billion sales figure
- Grand Theft Auto V has sold over 205 million units on console and PC since being released in 2013
- The Grand Theft Auto VI teaser Trailer, released in 2023, has been viewed over 200 million times
It is understandable why some publishers might not want to compete with the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI given the epic-sized records the franchise has set. Ironically enough Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two is among those looking to avoid releasing a new title alongside the next game. Take-Two Interactive purchased Borderlands developer Gearbox in 2024 for $460 million from Embracer Group, and its fourth franchise installment is expected to be released between spring 2025 and early 2026. Take Two’s CEO replied to Variety last month when asked about the release schedule for the two, “I think it’s safe to say that we wouldn’t, and no one would, stack up huge releases unnecessarily,” said Strauss Zelnick.