GTA 6 launch delayed: How other game publishers are trying to capitalise on the launch window

Rockstar-parent Take-Two Interactive recently announced the postponement of "Grand Theft Auto VI" ( GTA 6) from fall this year until May of the following year. Following this delay, rival game publishers are reportedly moving quickly to secure release dates for their games in the fall. The absence of Rockstar Games ' highly anticipated title from this year's lineup has created an opportunity for other games to avoid a direct clash and gain more prominence. A report claims that analysts and industry executives expect a wave of announcements for the fall release window. The delay has also provided "breathing room" in the fall schedule for other publishers to release their titles without competing directly with a potential blockbuster, the report adds. However, Rockstar has released the second trailer of the upcoming game which received over 475 million views across platforms within 24 hours. The video had over 106 million views on YouTube alone at the time of writing.



In a statement to the news agency Reuters, Obbe Vermeij, former technical director at Rockstar Games, said: “Publishers had delayed the announcement of the release dates of their games. Releasing after or even just before GTA VI would diminish their sales. Expect a number of announcements in the coming months of games that will now target fall release dates.”

How other publishers are planning to use GTA 6’s previous launch window


Just days after Rockstar’s GTA 6 postponement, Electronic Arts (EA) announced that its new Battlefield title will launch before EA’s fiscal year ends in March 2026. Similarly, Take‑Two Interactive plans to release Mafia: The Old Country in the key September–early December window, which is traditionally bolstered by holiday sales.

Other developers, including Techland with “Dying Light: The Beast” and Embracer with “Killing Floor 3,” are targeting the same period, though many major titles can’t shift schedules on short notice due to five‑ to seven‑year development cycles.

As per the Reuters report, analysts suggest the slot may now favour expansion packs, remasters, and smaller studios with nearly finished projects.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson noted the launch window is “clearer than it was before,” and an NYU Stern professor estimated that Battlefield may sell 4–5 million units by March 2026, compared to 3–4 million if GTA 6 had released as planned.

EA’s annual franchises, such as its FC soccer and Madden NFL series, are also expected to face less direct competition during this timeframe, Reuters reports.