Fans may be able to narrow GTA 6's release window by examining Rockstar Games' past release dates for their games.
Grand Theft Auto VI (aka GTA 6) has become the stuff of legend over the last couple of years as gamers worldwide eagerly anticipate its long-awaited release.
Well, that wait should be coming to an end soon. Since the game's initial reveal in December 2023, Rockstar has maintained that GTA 6 is coming in 2025 despite a relative lack of concrete updates on the open-world epic.
What Do We Know About GTA 6's Release?
Specific release information for GTA 6 has not yet been disclosed, but Rockstar dropped a few nuggets about the game since its debut trailer.
Fans will remember that the game's first trailer ended with a nebulous "Coming 2025." Rockstar executives narrowed that window in the over-a-year since to Fall 2025.
Beyond that, information about the game's release has been scarce. Rockstar states its Fall 2025 release window is still the plan but is not against moving the date if needed.
During a February 2025 appearance on CNBC, Rockstar Games boss Strauss Zelnick described the extended development time for the upcoming game, saying the studio's "desire for creative perfection" is the reason it is taking a long time:
"What Rockstar games puts into all of their titles is a desire for creative perfection, which is why it takes a long time, why it’s complex, nervous-making. We don’t claim success until it occurs."
In another interview with IGN, he remarked that while the team is excited to see the game make its 2025 debut, "there's always a risk of slippage," meaning if it needed to get moved, that is okay.
Fans should not be too worried, though—at least not yet. If the game looked like it would be bumped, Rockstar and its parent company, Take-Two, would likely be ringing the alarm bells.
Zelnick and the Take-Two brass continue to flaunt this "little above $7 billion [in] net bookings" figure for financial year 2025 to shareholders. One can assume this projected cash inflow would be thanks to a game as big as GTA 6.
If a delay were in the cards for GTA, then one would think Rockstar would have to disclose that information to shareholders sooner rather than later; it would significantly impact its parent company's expected earnings for the year.
GTA 6 Release Projections Revealed
Under the assumption that GTA 6's Fall 2025 window sticks, a more specific release projection may come into view.
Looking at recent titles from Rockstar Games could hold the secret to when fans can expect GTA 6. The company's last three tentpole titles were all released in the fall, coming between mid-September and mid-November:
- Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition – November 11, 2021
- Red Dead Redemption 2 – October 26, 2018
- Grand Theft Auto V – September 17, 2013
The last mainline title in the Grand Theft Auto franchise (GTA V) hit store shelves on September 17, 2013, leading many to believe GTA 6 would follow suit and come earlier in the fall season.
That, however, does not look to be the case. During a February PlayStation State of Play livestream, it was revealed that one of Take-Two's other major titles, Borderlands 4, claimed a September date (coming September 23, 2025).
Given the gravity of both titles, Take-Two may want to space them out as best it can not to cannibalize any of its potential earnings. If GTA 6 is coming in 2025, a release at least a month after that September date feels most likely.
On the other hand, Rockstar and Take-Two will also want to ensure that GTA 6 is released before the holiday shopping season kicks into full gear to (once again) maximize profits.
Most triple-A titles released in the fall window usually arrive before Black Friday (November 28, 2025), so fans can likely expect the game before then. That leaves a short five-week window from late October to mid-November for GTA 6 to release.
Considering all this information, including Rockstar's continued insistance on a Fall 2025 date, a solid GTA 6 release projection puts the game coming to consoles sometime between October 24 and November 11, 2025.
GTA 6 is set to come to consoles sometime later this year.
