Strauss Zelnick once again raised expectations for Rockstar’s upcoming title — and also revealed when full development actually began.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick is confident that delaying Grand Theft Auto VI was absolutely the right move, as Rockstar Games needed more time to deliver a product that meets their perfectionist standards. In an interview with IGN, Zelnick admitted that delays “cause him pain”, but stressed that the priority must always be supporting development teams in achieving their creative vision.

“As we get closer to finalizing a title that aims for perfection, the need for continued polish — or lack thereof — becomes evident. In this case, we believed that with a bit more time, Rockstar Games could realize their vision without compromise. Naturally, I supported that decision. I feel great about the way fiscal 2026 is shaping up. Of course delays cause pain — how could they not? — but what matters most is supporting teams in their pursuit of perfection. Historically, when we’ve committed to a specific release date, we’ve generally hit it.”

In Take-Two’s most recent financial report, Zelnick called the decision to grant Rockstar more time “a worthy investment.” While no direct promise was made, the fact that a firm release date has been set suggests a high level of internal confidence — even if Zelnick didn’t outright rule out further delays. He has reiterated that the company’s goal is to redefine the standards of gaming and entertainment, and that Rockstar aims to create something truly unprecedented.

Although Rockstar has likely been envisioning the next mainline GTA title ever since Grand Theft Auto V, Zelnick stated that real production on Grand Theft Auto VI only began in earnest in 2020. According to the publisher’s report, development followed the huge success of Red Dead Redemption 2. Still, if that marks the official production phase, pre-development likely began after RDR2’s 2018 release — meaning that by the time GTA VI launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series on May 26, 2026, it will have been in the works for at least seven years.

Source: WCCFTech, WCCFTech, IGN, Take-Two