In fear of GTA 6’s looming release date, several game publishers are reportedly considering delaying their games to steer clear of any direct competition with Rockstar’s game.
In August, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick doubled down on plans to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025. This comes after the Take-Two quarterly earnings call reiterated that release date.
Zelnick didn’t comment on the process, but leaked emails from Rockstar suggested that development is winding down with employees working from the office. However, months without information afterward made some fans fear a potential delay.
In February, Zelnick finally broke his silence and doubled down on the Fall 2025 window. He admitted that the studio may be forced to push the release back, as what happened for GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2.
Yet, if GTA 6 follows the planned schedule, other publishers will be ready to respond accordingly.
Three publishers prepare to delay games because of GTA 6
The Game Business reported, “Three major video game publishers have told The Game Business they are ready to delay their games to avoid Grand Theft Auto 6.”
If every publisher has the same idea and attempts to avoid GTA 6, it does present some issues.
One senior executive told The Game Business, “GTA 6 is basically a huge meteor, and we will just stay clear of the blast zone. We will nudge our releases back or forward three weeks to avoid it. Of course, the problem is everyone is going to do the same. So three to four weeks before or after GTA 6, you’re going to get a load of games dropping content in what they believe will be the safe zone.”
In an earnings call on February 4, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said, “I do believe that this year might be a nuance to year relative to the competition. There may be some things happening in the year that may cause us to think differently about our launch timing.”
Wilson didn’t specifically mention GTA 6, but the massive franchise poses a threat to the next Battlefield game.
For more on GTA 6, here is everything about Vice City and what city it is based on.
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