Grand Theft Auto VI isn't just one, if not the most anticipated game launching this year on consoles, but a lot seems to ride on its success, being the single most important factor for Take-Two Interactive's Fiscal Year 2027.
The open-world game by Rockstar has already been delayed twice, and while it is reportedly not yet content complete, the Fall 2026 release window - specifically the November 19, 2026 release date - is more real than the Fall 2025 window, according to a reputable Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier.
Speaking during the latest episode of the Button Mash podcast, the known journalist commented on the current state of the game, saying: "The last I've heard, it was still not content complete. They're still finishing things up, finalizing levels, missions, seeing what's going to make it into the game. They're still making stuff and will hopefully be done with that soon."
Commenting on the current November 19 release date for Grand Theft Auto VI, Schreier said: "It’s really hard to say right now, and I don’t think anyone at Rockstar can tell you with 100% certainty that they will make it out in November." However, it is too early to panic as Schreier thinks "this [November 2026 release] feels a little bit more real than Fall 2025 did."
Still, even if the game were to receive another delay, it could be a small one of a few months as Take-Two would still want to hit its financial targets for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2027, giving Rockstar Games a little more time to release the game.
As expected, a part of the Grand Theft Auto VI community entered "Panic Mode" upon learning that the game might not be content-complete yet, anticipating an almost certain delay. However, Jason Schreier himself posted a pointed clarification based on the pattern for previous games: "Yes, directly after saying that with Red Dead 2 they delayed it twice and I wouldn't be shocked if that's the same pattern, and directly before saying that while with game development you can never be 100% certain, this feels more solid than previous dates did."
What Sort of Content, Then, Is Already In Grand Theft Auto VI?
While knowing that Grand Theft Auto VI is not yet content complete doesn't tell us a whole lot, knowing what's already been implemented in the game would definitely make fans even more excited.
As of now, very little is currently known about the game, as the two trailers released to date have not shown a lot in terms of gameplay. However, the recent firing of Rockstar Games employees due to their supposed leaking of information regarding the game has essentially confirmed an older list of leaked information shared by GameRoll.
Among the leaked features that will supposedly be in Grand Theft Auto VI are:
- A six-star wanted system,
- A relationship bar that works like the honor system in Red Dead Redemption 2
- Weight mechanics
- Underwater exploration
- Greeting and antagonizing NPCs
- A Dual Protagonist system that allows players to control both Jason and Lucia at the same time
- A Dead-Eye-like ability for Jason that slows down time to reveal enemy's weak spots (which devs reportedly don't feel too keen on at the time of the leak)
- NPCs reacting to characters holding weapons
- Gore and dismemberment systems based on Red Dead Redemption 2's systems
- Limited weapon system
- Male strippers
With the timeline of the Rockstar Games' employees firing lining up almost perfectly, another Grand Theft Auto VI leak posted a few months back on the Gaming Leaks and Rumors subreddit is also gaining some traction, revealing details on the game's plot and some mechanics, including a "new mechanic for detecting threats and valuable items around you," and "very detailed mechanics of searching places," inspired by Red Dead Redemption 2.
Although these leaks should still be taken with a massive grain of salt, it's undeniable that they paint an exciting picture, complemented by the many patents filed by Rockstar Games over the years and the opinion of experts which believe the game could even evolve into an MMO with some of its mechanics.
Even if just a fraction of these features and mechanics make it into Grand Theft Auto VI, the next entry in the series will be a massive step forward compared to both its predecessor and Red Dead Redemption 2, which continues to be one of the best open-world games ever made also thanks to technology advancements such as NVIDIA DLSS 4.5.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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