GTA 6 Release Delayed: Impact on Gaming Industry
The delay of GTA 6 could have significant implications for the gaming industry, with some studios potentially "tanking" due to the uncertainty and disruption it would cause, and others delaying their games to avoid competing with the highly anticipated release, which is expected to generate $3.2 billion in its first year.
Rockstar Games' highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) is expected to launch on consoles in 2025, but its PC release may be delayed, with some predictions suggesting it could be pushed to 2026 or 2027, leaving gamers wondering about the implications of this delay on the gaming industry.
The delay could have significant consequences for some game studios, according to Ben Porter, director of consulting at games industry intelligence firm Newzoo. Porter stated that if GTA 6 is delayed by several months, some companies may "tank" due to the uncertainty and disruption it would cause. This has led to a common practice of studios timing their releases to avoid competing with larger, more prominent games like GTA 6.
Several big games have been delayed in the past, including Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, and Assassin's Creed Shadows. The release date of Borderlands 4, another game owned by Take-Two, has also raised questions about the possibility of a GTA 6 delay. Porter suggests that the release date of Borderlands 4 may indicate that GTA 6 is likely to be delayed, as it would put the two games in direct competition with each other.
Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA6) is expected to be the biggest game release of 2025, with market analysts predicting it will generate $3.2 billion in its first year, double the amount of its predecessor. Several major video game publishers are reportedly planning to delay their games to avoid competing with GTA6, with one publisher's boss stating that the game "sucks a lot of money and, more importantly, time out of the market."
As the gaming industry waits with bated breath for the release of GTA 6, the potential delay has sparked concerns about its impact on the industry as a whole. While GTA 6 is likely to attract attention and investment, it may not have a universally positive effect on the industry, according to Porter. The delay could have far-reaching consequences, and only time will tell how it will affect the gaming landscape.