GTA 6's Latest Delay Is The Least Surprising Of All

Published Jul 26, 2026, 7:00 AM EDT Chris is a Gaming Editor at ScreenRant. He has been a professional writer since 2009, and has written for top TV, comics, movie, and video game outlets like Engadget, Polygon, Destructoid, and more. He brings with him an expertise in every game genre, no matter how niche or mainstream. You may know him as the former Managing/Reviews Editor of Destructoid, where he published hundreds of game reviews across every genre, including MMOs, sports games, and Metroidvanias. Find Chris on Twitter @_SRChris. Grand Theft Auto 6 is a one-in-a-million game. There aren't many studios that even have the budget to make a game this massive, and within that small club, Rockstar (and subsequently Take-Two Interactive) have money on tap. That's why the delays for GTA 6 were completely expected, even if one of them came out of nowhere. Now, Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated for November 19, but there will be complications with the launch. Fans are talking about the latest delay on X, and it makes perfect sense. Given Rockstar's lengthy history on the subject, it's the least surprising move of all. GTA 6 Was Never Launching With Online According to a new report, fans have uncovered that Xbox Store files are hinting that the GTA 6 online component will be a "separate download file." Evidently, there are "story, ultimate edition upgrade," and "vintage pack" listings, but an "Extra" add-on is a mystery right now. Based on Rockstar's history with their own properties, the idea of GTA 6 launching without an online component makes perfect business sense. For one, Rockstar will want to saturate as much as they can from the single-player portion of the game. There will no doubt be digital extras for sale, including the deluxe edition of GTA 6 that's up for pre-order now. Then after that's done, they can move on to online players. Historically, Rockstar hasn't delivered the online component for its big modern AAA open-world adventures. GTA 5 launched in September 2013, and GTA Online didn't arrive until October. But truly, major features like heists weren't added until 2015. From 2013 to 2015, GTA Online wasn't the same powerhouse it is today. Similarly, Red Dead Online had another delay. Red Dead Redemption 2 launched in October 2018, and Red Dead Online came months later on May 14, 2019. Major features weren't added initially either, as the game slowly built up. When Will GTA 6 Online Release? When will we see the release of GTA Online? Only Rockstar knows for sure. The company has plenty of internal metrics showing when the best time to launch the game might be, based on data from the original GTA Online incarnation. There's another bridge that will need to be crossed, too. The current version of GTA Online is making money hand over fist thanks to Shark Card purchases, so Rockstar will need to be smart in how they change hands here with the next iteration of online. Rockstar can state that GTA 6 will be a "single-player experience" at launch, but everything changes once the initial launch window is up. Expect multiple ports for years (or even decades) to come for GTA 6, as well as a fully-fledged online component that Rockstar is hoping they can sustain for another 10 years. With all that in mind, it's possible that we could see a GTA 6 Online release in 2027. Rockstar will probably want to get the inevitable PC port ready at some point, and once that's in place, we could see online play in GTA 6 as the game moves into its second wind. Released November 19, 2026 ESRB Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+ Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) Multiplayer Online Multiplayer