GTA 6 may not be fully finished, but Rockstar is committed to avoiding a rushed release, making the November launch date seem increasingly likely.

Industry insider Jason Schreier recently shared insights on the development of Grand Theft Auto 6, noting that the game is currently “not content complete.” However, he remains optimistic about a November 2026 release, which he believes is more plausible than the previously suggested dates of 2025 or May 2026.

During a discussion on the Button Mash Podcast, Schreier reflected on Rockstar’s typical development cycle, drawing parallels to the process behind Red Dead Redemption 2. He explained, “This is how Rockstar works, or at least has worked in recent decades.”

He pointed out that with Red Dead 2, the timeline was quite fluid: it was initially announced for fall 2017, then pushed to spring 2018, and again delayed to fall 2018 before finally launching in October. “So I wouldn’t be super shocked if that is what happens again this time around,” he added.

While he didn’t specify when he last received updates on GTA 6’s progress from within Rockstar, he emphasized that the game was still in the finishing stages. “This is a big and complicated game,” he remarked. “The last I heard it was still not content complete. That is to say that people were still finalizing levels and missions and determining what will make it into the game.”

Schreier refrained from asserting that a November release is guaranteed, but he indicated it seems more likely than earlier dates. “It’s really hard to say [what the release date will be] right now,” he stated. “I don’t think anyone at Rockstar could tell you with 100% certainty that they will make it out in November. But I think it feels a little more real than fall 2025 did.”

Regarding Take-Two Interactive, Schreier mentioned that the company’s stock price is a significant concern, with GTA 6 expected to launch before the end of the financial year in March 2027. Nevertheless, he stressed that the quality of the game remains the publisher’s top priority.

“With a game like this, the stakes are so high, right?” he said. “They really can’t settle for anything less than perfection with this release because there’s so much riding on it. The entire stock of Take-Two lives or dies on this game. Every time this game slips, their shares drop 10%.”

He concluded that the game will not be released in a compromised state. “So if it comes to, even if it comes to October, and they’re like, you know, the game is not 100% ready, I suspect they would rather slip than release it.”

GTA 6 is expected to “redefine players’ standards,” with industry legends from Atlus, Square Enix, and Sega claiming it will be “a once-in-a-generation turning point.”