Explainer: GTA 6's new release date and why it matters to the global games industry

All we have is a tentative date, yet for the games industry, it says so much.

The latest art, showcasing Lucia and Jason, the game’s two main playable characters. Source Rockstar.

It was almost audible; the global, collective sigh of relief released by the video game industry after Rockstar, the makers of the Grand Theft Auto series, announced a release date for their next game, Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6).

After plenty of fear, trepidation and guesswork from the industry, Rockstar moved its launch window of Q4 2025 to a more precise launch date of 26 May 2026.

Will this date move? Possibly. It's not like release dates in modern gaming are set in stone. But by confirming this date, Rockstar cemented two crucial points: It won't release GTA 6 this year, and it's aiming to dominate the northern hemisphere summer holidays window with its game for 2026.

So why does this one game matter? And why is Grand Theft Auto so world-changing in the first place? Let's get into it.

Hold up, what even is Grand Theft Auto?

Grand Theft Auto is an open-world sandbox game focused on cri…