Grand Theft Auto VI, probably the most hotly anticipated title in gaming historical past, has been delayed.
Take-Two Interactive pushed the discharge of the blockbuster title to Could 2026 on Friday.
The video game was beforehand anticipated to be launched in autumn this 12 months and is anticipated to be an instantaneous hit with billions in gross sales yearly, based on analysts.
Its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V, is without doubt one of the best-selling video video games of all time, promoting greater than 200 million copies since its launch in 2013.
“With each recreation now we have launched, the objective has all the time been to attempt to exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is not any exception,” mentioned developer Rockstar Video games in an announcement posted on social media.
“We hope you perceive that we want this additional time to ship on the degree of high quality you anticipate and deserve.”
After the announcement, writer Take-Two’s share costs tumbled by 9%.
“We help totally Rockstar Video games taking further time to appreciate their artistic imaginative and prescient for Grand Theft Auto VI, which guarantees to be a groundbreaking blockbuster leisure expertise,” mentioned Take-Two chief government Strauss Zelnick.
Rockstar Video games first unveiled the trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI in December 2023, set to Tom Petty’s Love Is a Lengthy Highway.
The video was watched greater than 100 million instances in 24 hours.
Learn extra from Sky Information:
NHS may offer weight loss jabs over counter
Trump’s national security adviser to leave role
North Korean hacker caught red-handed
It confirmed the sport’s return to Vice Metropolis and launched the sport’s first feminine lead, Lucia, hinting at a modern-day Bonnie-and-Clyde duo.
GTA VI was anticipated to drive development within the online game business this 12 months after a troubling interval.
Rising manufacturing prices and rising expectations round video games imply many titles have been delayed, inflicting monetary issues for studios and frustration for gamers.
Through the pandemic, when tens of millions extra folks started enjoying video video games, studio sizes swelled.
As soon as the lockdowns ended, nevertheless, demand dropped and the business now faces an employment disaster with redundancies at studios round Britain and the world.