The anticipation surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI is immense, but repeated delays are testing players’ patience. According to a former Rockstar developer, one more postponement could seriously damage the game’s momentum.

Rockstar Games is not making things easy for its audience. Among the most anticipated titles scheduled for 2026, GTA 6 consistently tops the charts, including 3DJuegos’ own list. It marks the first new entry in the franchise in thirteen years and the studio’s first major release in eight. However, the game has already suffered two delays, a situation that risks harming Rockstar’s public image, or so believes Mike York, a former animator who worked on GTA 5 and GTA Online.

As York points out, players should technically already be playing GTA 6 if the initial delay had not occurred. The second planned launch window, May 2026, also fell through, leaving November 19, 2026, as the current release date for Lucia and Jason’s adventure, assuming no further setbacks arise.

York does not rule out another delay, especially given his firsthand knowledge of Rockstar’s perfectionist culture. Speaking to Esports Insider (via GamesRadar), he explained that while an additional postponement could provide valuable time for refinement, it would also drain almost all excitement surrounding the game. “If Rockstar Games delays GTA 6 again, player enthusiasm will almost completely disappear. There comes a point where there’s no news or anything to talk about”, he warned.

According to the former developer, there is a clear limit to how long players are willing to wait. The latest change in the release window already triggered widespread backlash, ranging from critical media coverage to political commentary, including remarks from a Polish member of parliament who described the delay as “a huge scandal”. Frustration was further amplified by the absence of a new trailer to sustain interest in the GTA 5 sequel. “There comes a point when you delay something so many times that you start to annoy people”, York added.

Mike York Believes There Will Be No Further Delays

Despite these concerns, Mike York ultimately believes that Grand Theft Auto VI will not face another postponement. He argues that November 2026 is a carefully chosen release window, positioned just ahead of the holiday season to maximize sales. “If you want to sell a lot of copies, that’s the perfect time for GTA 6”, he noted. York also emphasized that major Rockstar releases are typically delayed only once or twice, making the announced date a realistic target.

Source: 3djuegos