Anticipated GTA VI video game launch postponed; now scheduled for May 2026
Breaking the Silence:
The long-awaited drop of Grand Theft Auto VI, the latest instalment of the iconic video game series, has been pushed back by several months to May 31, 2026, its publisher announced on Friday.
Originally planned for a late 2025 release, a trailer revealed a Miami-esque Vice City backdrop and a first-in-series, playable female protagonist.
Dive deeperDelving into the Hype: Grand Theft Auto VI's Anticipated Release
"We apologize for this delay," Rockstar Games acknowledged in a statement, "Our aim has always been to pull out all the stops and surpass your expectations. Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception, and we believe this extra time will help us deliver the quality you deserve."
Launched in 2013, its predecessor, GTA V, has sold over 200 million copies. The first GTA VI teaser dropped in December 2023, garnering more than 250 million views on Rockstar's YouTube channel.
The trailer unfolds with a woman, Lucia, leaving prison in a Florida-inspired setting. The closing scene showcases Lucia and her male partner-in-crime promising to "stick together, be a team," before raiding a store with guns blazing. This heated sequence led fans to speculate that the rumored "Bonnie and Clyde"-style crime duo would indeed be featured.
However, the GTA franchise hasn't always been a smooth ride. Over the years, criticism has ensued over the game's violent content, with accusations of glorifying crime and promoting criminal behavior. Executives at Rockstar's parent company, New York-based Take-Two Interactive, have consistently dismissed these claims.
In previous games, players have been seen engaged in activities such as drug peddling, fistfights, robberies, and car crashes, with more troubling elements like assaulting sex workers and visiting strip clubs fueling controversy among activists.
(FRANCE 24 in collaboration with AFP)
Grand Theft Auto VI Insights:
- Set in Vice City, a fictional take on Miami within the state of Leonida, modeled after Florida[1][2][3]. The cityscape may extend beyond Vice City, possibly to regions similar to the Everglades and other Florida settings[2][3].
- The game could build on the success of GTA V's sprawling open-world design, potentially featuring a map larger and more intricate than previous titles[4]. Its influence might draw from other Rockstar hits, such as Red Dead Redemption 2[5].
- The franchise has faced reproach over violent depictions and stereotypes in the past, with recent delay and heightened expectations further fueling interest and scrutiny around GTA VI[2][6].
- Technology's advancements in recent years have enabled developers to create a more immersive gaming experience, as demonstrated by the anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, due for release in May 2026.
- The upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI, set in a Miami-like Vice City, is expected to capitalize on the success of its predecessor, GTA V, by offering a larger, more complex open-world that mirrors Red Dead Redemption 2.
- The couple portrayed in Grand Theft Auto VI, Lucia and her male partner, promise to work together in a criminal enterprise, which has fueled expectations and controversy due to the game's history of violent content.
