Report: Publishers Strategize Game Launch Delays to Avoid Competing with GTA 6

Several game publishers are reportedly considering rescheduling their upcoming releases, keen on avoiding a head-to-head showdown with the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6.

The newly launched publication, The Game Business, has been in conversation with several high-ranking executives at various publishers. The consensus? They’re steering clear of a direct competition with Rockstar’s next blockbuster.

“Rockstar’s releases have a notorious reputation for monopolizing not just consumer dollars, but perhaps even more critically, their time,” shared the CEO of a prominent publishing house.

“We’re making sure to plan strategically for our upcoming titles to avoid entering the fray near GTA 6’s debut.”

Another executive from a different company echoed the sentiment, emphasizing, “Even setting aside GTA, carving out time for new games to capture players’ attention is incredibly challenging. The biggest hurdle isn’t budget—it’s competing for gamers’ time.”

Similarly, the European head of a major triple-A studio voiced concerns about timing their next launch around the end of October or early November.

“We’re certainly not keen to release anything just before or after GTA 6 hits the shelves,” they mentioned. “If it launches in late October, we’re left with tough choices: we either push our release earlier, as seen with this recent trend towards summer launches, or delay, only to go head-to-head with Black Friday madness.”

Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled for release sometime in 2025, likely during the fall season.