This article was updated by Andrea Trama on April 16, 2026, with a timeline of GTA 6 reveals and announcements. It was first published on April 4.
We are now officially within the fiscal year of Grand Theft Auto 6's release, marking the end of an era for fans that have been waiting 13 years for the game. Grand Theft Auto 5 was first released in 2013, with Rockstar iterating on the beloved open-world game through enhanced ports to newer consoles and PC, as well as a near-endless stream of content for the game's online multiplayer mode. But now, after 13 years, it's very nearly time for fans to move on to Grand Theft Auto 6.
Grand Theft Auto 6 was officially confirmed back in 2023, and since then, Rockstar has only released two trailers for the game. The record-breaking GTA 6 trailers set up the game's story, introduced its characters, showed off its vast graphical improvements, and gave fans a look at the new take on Vice City. In the time since the game was first announced, Rockstar has pushed the GTA 6 release date back twice, with it now aiming for a November 19, 2026 launch.
We Are Now in GTA 6's Fiscal Year for the First Time Ever
As pointed out by Reddit user Competitive_Pipe_468, we are now within the fiscal year of GTA 6's planned release date for the first time ever. This could be a good sign that the game won't face another delay and will indeed meet its November 19 release date, though if Rockstar is planning on pushing it back again, one has to imagine that such an announcement will come sooner rather than later. Take-Two has an earnings call next month, where it will likely address GTA 6, so fans will soon either be far more confident about the game's release date, or hit with a disappointing release date delay. Regardless, the fact that we have finally made it to GTA 6's fiscal year of release is a major milestone and marks the end of an era of fans waiting for Rockstar's next open world epic.
There have been several major updates for GTA 6 since its early announcement, and they are the following:
- February 2022 - GTA 6 is officially confirmed to be in development.
- September 2022 - GTA 6 leaks with gameplay videos, early build details, and even the protagonists' names surface online.
- December 2023 - GTA 6's first trailer is officially released, confirming the names of its protagonists (Jason and Lucia) and the setting of the real-world Florida in-game counterpart, Leonida.
- February 2024 - GTA 6's release window is set for autumn 2025.
- May 2025 - The second trailer for GTA 6 is released, showing more locations, characters, and relevant plot points. Shortly after, the first GTA 6 delay is announced, moving its release window from autumn 2025 to May 26, 2026.
- November 2025 - GTA 6's second delay is announced, moving the game's release date to November 19, 2026.
It also means that marketing for GTA 6 will likely ramp up significantly in the months ahead. It's been previously suggested that a GTA 6 marketing blitz will really start kicking off this summer, so fans can expect more trailers covering the single-player content as well as the online multiplayer experience. As it stands, we haven't seen a single video about what GTA 6 is planning when it comes to its online multiplayer, but considering the dizzying, unprecedented success of GTA 5's online mode, it's inevitable.
Image via Rockstar
Image via Rockstar Games
Image via Rockstar Games
Image via Rockstar Games/Take-Two Interactive
It's possible the GTA 6 online mode will not be available at launch. Rockstar has a history of waiting until some time after the single-player portion of its games release before it drops the online modes, which is exactly what it did with GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. However, nothing to that effect has been confirmed just yet.
Even though there will undoubtedly be GTA 6 trailers, promotional videos, previews, and more in the months ahead, fans should expect Rockstar to still keep as much of the game under wraps as possible. Rockstar's games are full of big surprises, and GTA 6 will be no different. Grand Theft Auto fans should have a lot more to talk about in the months ahead, but they will have to wait for November 19 to truly see everything that the game has to offer.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- November 19, 2026
- ESRB
- Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
