Guinness World Records poked fun at GTA 6 for its protracted development

The story of Grand Theft Auto 6's repeated delay continues to stir up controversy online. This time, even Guinness World Records joined the irony. On the day Rockstar announced the release delay, the organization's official account posted a statement about the longest production cycle for a video game title in history.

The public immediately interpreted the post as a reference to GTA 6, but it wasn't actually referring to the Rockstar project. The record still belongs to the shooter Duke Nukem Forever, which took 14 years and 43 days to develop. Guinness representatives clarified that it doesn't take into account the time between releases, but rather the actual production time—from the start of development to the release of the finished game.

Although more than 12 years have passed since the release of GTA 5, Rockstar claims that full-scale production on the sixth game only began in 2020, when most of the studio's staff was transferred to the new project. Unofficial reports suggest that preparatory work began slightly earlier, in 2018–19. Even if the release is scheduled for 2026, the total development time for GTA 6 will be approximately eight years, significantly shorter than the record-breaking Duke Nukem Forever.

However, Guinness's publication was spot on. Many fans have admitted that the wait for the new game already feels interminable. After numerous rumors, leaks, prolonged silence, and yet another delay, gamers can only be patient and hope that the result will justify the long wait.