History repeats itself: most players doubt the release date of GTA VI

The question of trust in Rockstar Games' announced release dates has once again become a focus of the community. A new survey has shown that the vast majority of the audience is preparing for another delay for Grand Theft Auto VI and does not perceive the announced date as definitive.

This skepticism has been building for years. Each new trailer traditionally evokes a wave of excitement, but this quickly gives way to a sober assessment of the situation. The experience of GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 is well-remembered by players: initial release windows were repeatedly pushed back and, over time, came to be perceived as mere rough guidelines, justified by the studio's desire to perfect the project. Against this backdrop, many view November 2026 as a rough estimate rather than a firm promise, especially since the industry has already seen high-profile releases suffer due to rushed releases, including Cyberpunk 2077.

A survey conducted by YouTuber DarkViperAU, which attracted over 302,000 participants, found that approximately 80 percent of respondents expect GTA VI to be delayed beyond its announced release date. These sentiments are also being actively discussed on the r/GTA6 subreddit, where users share concerns not only about a possible delay but also about the project's storyline following Dan Houser's departure.

Instead of anticipating a specific release date, jokes about GTA VI being played by future generations are increasingly appearing on social media. Rockstar remains a hostage to its own perfectionism: fans are willing to forgive any delays for the sake of an outstanding result, but faith in a precise release schedule has noticeably weakened.