The next entry in the Grand Theft Auto franchise will be released in a few months, ending a 13-year wait for fans on the record-breaking video game series. With rumours of a budget that ballooned to $1 billion (£733 million, converted) and over a decade in development, speculation that Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive will attempt to recuperate costs with a £100 price tag has reached fever-pitch.
Grand Theft Auto 6, which is stylised as Grand Theft Auto VI in marketing materials, has already been delayed twice by Rockstar Games. Due to launch on May 26, the upcoming PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X|S title is now scheduled to release worldwide on November 19, 2026.
"We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realise has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve," Rockstar Games shared on X, formerly Twitter, when it confirmed the delay.
With just six months until the frenzied wait is over and the next Grand Theft Auto finally reaches store shelves, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick discussed the as-yet unannounced price tag for the new title.
Speaking at the video game conference IICON (Interactive Innovation Conference), Mr Zelnick said: "Consumers pay for the value that you bring to them, and our job is to charge way, way, way less of the value delivery.
Little is known about the plot of Grand Theft Auto VI, but the trailers hints at a Bonnie and Clyde-like story that follows the first female protagonist in the GTA franchise since 2000, known as Lucia and her partner as they rampage across the fictional US state of Leonida
| ROCKSTAR GAMES PRESS OFFICE | GBN"How you feel about something you buy is the intersection of the thing itself and what you pay for. Consumers need to feel like the thing itself is amazing and the price they were charged was fair for what they got."
The 68-year-old executive added that, taking into account inflation rates, the price of video games has actually become cheaper, with most releases sold between $60–$70 or £50–£60 for most of the last decade.
According to IGN, which was in the audience at IICON, Mr Zelnick said: "If you look at it through that lens, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But that isn't the lens through which we look. Instead, we look at… how do we deliver something amazing, and how do we make sure that what people pay for it feels very reasonable."
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Highlighting the fact that games haven't significantly increased in price over the last decade, which is around the time of the launch of Grand Theft Auto V, could be a good way to lay the groundwork for a price hike.
And with dozens of hours of story content baked into the game, not to mention a never-ending online component to the gameplay, Mr Zelnick could justifiably increase the sticker price and still meet this threshold of charging "way, way, way less of the value delivery".
When it comes to evaluating the success of the long-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, Mr Zelnick said he would be focused on players' experiences, rather than financial performance.
"What we think about is making the most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth, in history — and it's a pretty daunting challenge," Mr Zelnick added. "If we do that, and if we're of service to our customers, then the upside will take care of itself."
The executive later joked that "a lot of people will be calling in sick" when the hotly anticipated PS5 and Xbox Series X|S title finally releases in November 2026. Aside from measuring the quality of the final game, it's likely that Grand Theft Auto VI will bring in a vast amount of money for Take-Two Interactive.
GTA 6, stylised as Grand Theft Auto VI, returns the action to the fictional city of Vice City, which is Rockstar Games' satirical version of Miami that featured in the 2002 GTA release of the same name
| ROCKSTAR GAMESInvestment firm Konvoy has projected GTA VI will recoup its estimated £1.5 billion development costs within just 30 days of launch. Not only that, within the first two months, the gaming investment firm estimates that revenue will top $7.6bn (£5.7bn).
To achieve that record-breaking figure, Konvoy estimates that 85 million players will purchase the game at roughly £60 per copy in the first 60-day window. Rockstar Games has confirmed the Grand Theft Auto VI release date, but not the final cost of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S exclusive, which some estimate could be increased to £80 — much higher than a standard video game. If those whispers are accurate, revenue could be even higher for Rockstar Games.
Konvoy Managing Partner, Josh Chapman stated: "This will be the greatest video game release of all time; shattering player, viewership, and revenue records."
The analysis suggests this will establish the title as the most successful gaming launch in history, with revenue streams extending beyond initial sales.
Online multiplayer and its GTA+ subscriptions are expected to surge in the wake of the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, bringing in a projected £510 million within the first 60 days, Konvoy estimates. The investment firm's calculations factor in these additional revenue sources when reaching the ambitious £5.7bn forecast.
Konvoy predicts Grand Theft Auto VI will offer enhanced online gameplay with lobbies accommodating up to 200 players, featuring "higher risk/reward dynamics where you can raid and steal items from players more easily."
Whether it costs £60, £80, or closer to £100 ...you'll have plenty of time to save, since Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed until November 19, 2026.