Grand Theft Auto 6 – one of the most eagerly awaited releases of all time – has been delayed until May 2026.

The sequel in developer Rockstar Games’ record-breaking video game series was due to be released on consoles later this year.

But it told fans it needed extra time to “deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve”.

The previous game in the series, GTA 5, is the second-best selling video game of all time and remains extremely popular thanks to its online mode.

Little official information on GTA 6 has emerged since a trailer for the game was released in December 2023, quickly reaching over 100m views.

In its statement, Rockstar said the “interest and excitement” in the game had been “truly humbling for our entire team.”

The company is known for its long development cycles and the 12-year gap since GTA 5’s release has sparked a wave of jokes and memes online.

It also has a track record of delaying major releases, such as 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2 – the studio’s last big new game.

But Rockstar is also known for its perfectionist approach and Straus Zelnick, CEO of parent company Take Two Interactive, previously said each new Rockstar game “needs to be something you’ve never seen before.”