Report: Game Publishers Planning Delays to Avoid Competing with GTA 6 Release

Several game publishers are reportedly contemplating rescheduling their planned releases to sidestep clashing with the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6.

This information comes from the recently launched The Game Business, which has conversed with several industry leaders who express their desire to steer clear of Rockstar’s upcoming powerhouse. As one prominent publisher’s CEO noted, “Rockstar games tend to drain a vast amount of money, and more significantly, they monopolize players’ time.”

“We want to distance ourselves from that. We’re busy developing multiple strategies for our games,” the CEO explained.

Another high-ranking executive from a different company remarked, “Even without the GTA factor, carving out a niche for new games is incredibly challenging. The real issue isn’t financial resources; it’s finding the time. It’s a competitive landscape out there.”

Echoing these sentiments, the European head of a triple-A studio expressed the company’s reluctance to release a game in late October or early November.

“We’d rather not release our title right around the same time,” the executive stated. “If GTA arrives in late October, it forces you to either release early—which is why we’re seeing a lot of summer launch dates—or push for a later release, where you’ll be competing with Black Friday sales.”

Grand Theft Auto 6 is anticipated to make its debut sometime in 2025, likely during the autumn season.