Several major publishers are reportedly ready to shift the release dates of their games to coincide with the release date of Grand Theft Auto 6.

GTA 6 is set to release this fall, although an exact date has yet to be confirmed. According to VGC, market analysts predict that GTA 6 will undoubtedly be the biggest release of 2025. It’s no wonder that several major publishers are ready to shift their game release dates to avoid competition.

The CEO of one of the world’s largest game publishers said:

The anticipation surrounding GTA 6 has created a ripple effect in the gaming industry, influencing other publishers to reconsider their schedules.

“Rockstar games always take up a lot of money and, more importantly, time to market. We don’t want to release something close to release. We’re setting up a lot of different schedules for our titles.” Another senior executive said: “Even without GTA, it’s very difficult to find the time to shine on new games. Time is limited for us, not money. It’s a difficult situation.” A major European publisher also said that their main concern is that GTA 6’s release date leaves little room for their games to be released. “We don’t want to release something right before or after this game. If it comes out in late October, it means we have to release it very early. That’s why we’ve had a bunch of summer release dates. Or we have to release it later, which puts us in the Black Friday sales.”

“Rockstar games always take up a lot of money and, more importantly, time to market. We don’t want to release something close to release. We’re setting up a lot of different schedules for our titles.” Another senior executive said: “Even without GTA, it’s very difficult to find the time to shine on new games. Time is limited for us, not money. It’s a difficult situation.” A major European publisher also said that their main concern is that GTA 6’s release date leaves little room for their games to be released. “We don’t want to release something right before or after this game. If it comes out in late October, it means we have to release it very early. That’s why we’ve had a bunch of summer release dates. Or we have to release it later, which puts us in the Black Friday sales.”

“Rockstar games always take up a lot of money and, more importantly, time to market. We don’t want to release something close to release. We’re setting up a lot of different schedules for our titles.”

Another senior executive said: “Even without GTA, it’s very difficult to find the time to shine on new games. Time is limited for us, not money. It’s a difficult situation.”

A major European publisher also expressed their main concern about GTA 6’s release date, stating, “We don’t want to release something right before or after this game. If it comes out in late October, it means we have to release it very early. That’s why we’ve had a bunch of summer release dates. Or we have to release it later, which puts us in the Black Friday sales.”

Additionally, TGB spoke to two developers of online service games that are in the top 10 list, who said they plan to move their major updates to avoid the release time of GTA VI. One studio executive said:

“GTA 6 is basically a big meteor and we’re staying out of the zone of its explosion. We’ll push our releases forward or back three weeks to avoid it. The problem is, everyone else will do the same thing. So three to four weeks before or after GTA 6, you’ll see a flood of new games releasing their content in a window that they think is safe.”

“GTA 6 is basically a big meteor and we’re staying out of the zone of its explosion. We’ll push our releases forward or back three weeks to avoid it. The problem is, everyone else will do the same thing. So three to four weeks before or after GTA 6, you’ll see a flood of new games releasing their content in a window that they think is safe.”

Given the immense popularity and hype of GTA 6, it’s clear that its release will overshadow many titles.

“GTA 6 is basically a big meteor and we’re staying out of the zone of its explosion. We’ll push our releases forward or back three weeks to avoid it. The problem is, everyone else will do the same thing. So three to four weeks before or after GTA 6, you’ll see a flood of new games releasing their content in a window that they think is safe.”

The comments come after Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson said EA could change the timing of the new Battlefield game depending on when Rockstar’s game is released.

Analysts at DFC Intelligence have predicted that GTA 6 will gross $3.2 billion in its first year of release, double what its predecessor did in 2013 and significantly more than the biggest films of 2024 such as Inside Out 2 ($1.7 billion) and Deadpool & Wolverine ($1.3 billion).

In response to the claims, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told the Financial Times:

“I never announce a win before it happens. But I think Rockstar will deliver something amazing again. The expectations are definitely very high.”

“I never announce a win before it happens. But I think Rockstar will deliver something amazing again. The expectations are definitely very high.”

“I never announce a win before it happens. But I think Rockstar will deliver something amazing again.

The expectations are definitely very high.”

The first trailer for GTA 6 was released in December 2023, confirming a 2025 release date. In just two days, it garnered over 100 million views, surpassing the initial GTA 5 trailer and making it one of the most viewed trailers in YouTube history.

Read More Articles from News Tab about the latest updates on GTA 6.