Entertainment · Gaming · 1 hr ago
GTA VI is set for a record launch with major gaming and business impact
Rockstar Games is due to release Grand Theft Auto VI on Nov.
19, ending a 13-year wait since the previous main game.
The title is set in the fictional US state of Leonida and is being made by Rockstar, which is owned by Take-Two Interactive.
The launch was delayed twice, first from May 2025 to May 2026 and then to November 2026, as Rockstar worked to finish the game.
More than 12 million people had preordered it by Nov.
13, according to Sensor Tower, while Morgan Stanley forecast 40 million sales by March 2027.
The previous game, Grand Theft Auto V, has sold more than 200 million copies and remains widely watched on Twitch.
The release could bring business beyond gaming, including more activity for streamers, food delivery companies and tourism in Miami, while drawing attention away from other entertainment.
A workplace platform found that paid time-off requests for launch day were nearly 13% higher than on comparable days in 2024 and 2025.
The next milestone is the Nov.
19 launch, after which sales and audience figures will show how far the game’s influence reaches.
Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on Nov. 19, 2026, after two delays.
Analysts expect it could become the biggest video game launch of all time.
Sensor Tower estimated more than 12 million preorders through Nov. 13, while Morgan Stanley forecast 40 million sales by March 2027.
The game is set in Leonida, a fictional state inspired by Florida, and is launching for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The release is expected to affect creators, streaming, businesses and workers’ time-off plans.
- Who
- Rockstar Games, a Take-Two Interactive subsidiary, is developing the game. Take-Two is its parent company.
- What
- Grand Theft Auto VI is a new installment in the Grand Theft Auto video game series.
- When
- It is scheduled to launch on Nov. 19, 2026.
- Where
- The game is set in Leonida, a fictional state inspired by Florida. It is launching on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- Why
- Rockstar delayed the launch to give the game more time for polish.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Grand Theft Auto V was released.
Rockstar said development of the next Grand Theft Auto game was in full swing.
Rockstar released the first GTA VI trailer earlier than planned after it leaked.
Rockstar delayed the game twice, first to May 2026 and then to Nov. 19, 2026.
Preorders began.
The pre-download began on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- Scheduled launch
- Nov. 19, 2026
- Preorders
- More than 12 million through Nov. 13, according to Sensor Tower
- Sales forecast
- 40 million copies by March 2027, according to Morgan Stanley
- Development estimate
- More than $1 billion, according to Roth analyst Eric Handler
- Launch platforms
- PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S
3 sources
What people are saying
We tend to be pretty judicious when we talk about this sort of thing, but our expectations were high and they are being vastly exceeded so far.
This game is going to make a lot of millionaires in 2027.
It goes beyond this launch moment into this sustaining opportunity for them to grow, build, engage and retain their audience and ultimately support themselves by making money.