Take-Two Interactive on Friday pushed the publication of “Grand Theft Auto VI” on May 26, 2026, extending the reception for the most projected title in the history of video games and sending its shares falling 8%.
The title, developed by the Rockstar Games, was previously planned for a fall 2025.
The exclusivity is Jewel Crown in the Take-Two portfolio, constituting a significant portion of the revenue and engagement of players, and expectations for the next title have matured in Wall Street predictions for months.
Fans have been waiting for the game for more than a decade and analysts expect it to be an instant hit.
The previous entry, the “Grand Theft Auto V”, released in 2013 and sold over 200 million copies, making it one of the best -selling video games.
“We fully support the rockstar games by taking extra time to realize their creative vision for the Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a fun experience,” said CEO I Take-Wo Strauss Zelnick.
Delays have become commonplace in the development of modern games as studios accumulate by increasing production costs and increasing pressure from players to provide polished experiences at the start.
The expropriation now pushes “GTA VI” from the Tak-Two 2026 fiscal window and in 2027, which is likely to bring about booking expectations for the next fiscal year.
The company reiterated its expectations for sequential growth of net bookings for fiscal 2026 and 2027.
Investors await more detail when Take-Two reports its income in the fourth quarter on May 15.
Despite the delay, take-Two has several titles lined up for the next fiscal year, including “Borderlands 4” and “Mafia: The Old Country”, which are also expected to be major concessions.
“Given that take-Two repeated the expectations of record-level net bookings in both FY’26 and FY’27, we think this facilitates some of the potential concerns about sales cannibalization in FY’26,” said Da Davidson & Co Analyst Wyatt Swanson.
Rockstar Games revealed the first trailer for “GTA VI” in December 2023, confirming the return of the game in Vice City, a fictitious Miami taking, and introducing Lucia, the first superiority of female exclusivity.
The extractor hinted for a duet of modern days Bonnie-and-Clyde and drew more than 100 million views within 24 hours.
The response to the delay was mixed on social media.
Some users complained to wait longer while others welcomed additional Polish.
The mass will also affect the wider industry as the “GTA VI” was expected to be a major catalyst for the sector growth at a time when US tariffs have prompted the game keyboard prices and aroused a withdrawal on consumer expenses.
#Issuing #Grand #Theft #Auto #delayed #sending #shares #falling
Image Source : nypost.com