Report: Game Publishers Plan to Delay Releases to Avoid Competing with GTA 6

Several game publishers are reportedly considering rescheduling their upcoming releases to avoid clashing with the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6.

The newly-established publication, The Game Business, has been in touch with several high-ranking officials in the gaming industry who are wary of releasing their titles alongside Rockstar’s upcoming juggernaut.

“Rockstar games tend to siphon off a ton of both money and, more crucially, player time,” the head of a major game publishing house was quoted as saying.

“We’d rather steer clear of that overlap. We’re busy crafting multiple strategies for our releases.”

A senior executive from another gaming company shared similar concerns: “Even without the looming presence of GTA, carving out space for new games to make an impact is already a monumental challenge. Time, not money, is truly the scarce resource in our field. It’s a tough landscape.”

Meanwhile, the European head of a top-tier gaming company mentioned their reluctance to schedule any releases toward the end of October or early November.

“We definitely don’t want our launch dates too close to GTA’s release,” they emphasized.

“If their game hits the market in late October, your choices are limited. You either rush out an early release—which many seem to be doing lately with the flurry of summer launch dates—or push it to a later date, risking competition with Black Friday sales.”

As of now, Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated for a 2025 release, probably aiming for the autumn season.