Why was it delayed again?

“Here we go again.”

When Grand Theft Auto 6 was delayed on Thursday, the series’ famous quote perfectly captured the feelings of many video game fans.

Resignation, disappointment, deja vu.

Producer Rockstar Games is telling players for the second time that they will have to wait even longer for what will be one of the biggest entertainment games ever.

The notoriously perfectionist developer has a history of holding on to its blockbuster games until it’s satisfied with them, so this news wasn’t a complete surprise.

But millions of people are asking what’s taking so long and why.

Rockstar Games officially confirmed that it was working on GTA 6 in February 2022, and in the first trailer released almost 18 months later, it was said that the game would be released in 2025.

It was also revealed that the game features two protagonists (the couple Jason and Lucia) and is set in Leonida, a fictional US state based in Florida.

Rockstar later announced that the game was withdrawn and gave the exact date as May 26, 2026.

This got fans excited, especially when some realized it was the date of Bonnie and Clyde’s funeral.

The famous outlaw lovers are thought to be the inspiration for GTA 6’s lead characters, and the timing seemed too perfect to pass up.

But in the end it happened. The game received another delay and a new release date of November 19, 2026.

Even Grand Theft Auto is not immune to the factors that affect any company making a modern blockbuster video game.

Development has become more expensive, more complex, and the gap between major releases has widened.

But there are some challenges specific to Rockstar.

The first is hype.

Both trailers for GTA 6 broke YouTube viewing records and regularly rank high among the public’s most anticipated games.

Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two Interactive, said that every new release from the developer should surprise players.

Rockstar is known for breaking new ground with its games, and its last major release, western adventure Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR 2), helped build that reputation.

Even though it was released in 2018, it is still considered a benchmark for open-world video games due to its depth and obsessive attention to detail.

The studio’s impressive performance is attributed to its high standards, which leads to increasingly higher expectations for its games.

Protecting its reputation is something Rockstar takes seriously; Both RDR 2 and 2013’s GTA 5 were delayed twice.

When asked about GTA 6’s latest delay at a meeting with investors this week, Mr. Zelnick told them that those working on the game were “seeking perfection.”

Another unique factor in Rockstar’s situation is the continued success of its existing library.

GTA 5 is the second best-selling game of all time and continues to increase sales 13 years after its release.

It sold 730,000 copies in the UK alone last year. Entertainment Retailers AssociationRDR 2 sold 350,000 copies in the same period.

This puts both games in the top 10 in video game sales for 2024.

And then there’s GTA Online, the hugely successful multiplayer mode that continues to rank among the world’s most played games month after month.

GTA 5 is known to have brought in the bulk of the $8.9bn (£6.7bn) the series has reportedly earned since its launch.

The sequel is expected to be one of the most expensive video games of all time, but Rockstar is still making money from its old games.

However, Take Two said it saw an expected decline in GTA Online’s numbers this week.

There are experts I previously told BBC Newsbeat GTA 6’s true success will be measured by how well it can attract existing players to its online mode.

There are no guarantees when it comes to GTA.

Rockstar has previously been accused of forcing employees to “distress” or forced overtime to meet release dates and deadlines.

The practice, which was also implemented by other major game developers, was heavily criticized on the grounds that it alienated workers from their families and led to fatigue.

Rockstar stated that no one was forced to work extra hours at that time, but Ways to improve ways of working.

Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, who published in-depth reports on the development of RDR 2, said the following there: Seems like a “real desire” From the studio management to prevent problems in GTA 6.

Earlier this week, 30 Rockstar employees were laid off. I’m trying to prevent them from unionizing..

The company denied this and accused the workers of gross misconduct by sharing confidential information; this was something the IWGB Gaming Workers union rejected.

It is unlikely that the layoffs are directly linked to the recent delay, but the loss of experienced staff could impact the game’s development.

For now, most fans seem happy to wait a little longer for what many expect to be the “game of the century.”

It’s up to Rockstar to decide whether their patience will pay off or be in vain.

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