The latest delay of Grand Theft Auto VI is shaping up to be one of the most expensive in gaming history. Rockstar revealed on November 6, 2025, that GTA VI will now launch on November 19, 2026, pushing the game back by six months. While fans expected delays, the financial impact appears much bigger than many predicted.
Experts believe this delay could cost Rockstar as much as $500 million.
Reportedly, Finance professor Rob Wilson said that the six-month shift brings major financial consequences. Extra QA, marketing changes, and vendor complications alone could add about $350 million to the game’s overall budget.
Wilson added that moving a highly profitable release window back by half a year, combined with these added expenses, can easily be a $500 million equivalent swing.
Industry insider Tom Henderson has also shared concerns. He claimed the delay could cost Rockstar around $10 million per month in development alone, even before other expenses are considered. Since GTA VI is already rumoured to have a billion-dollar budget, these increases push the game into unprecedented territory.
On his podcast, Tom Henderson revealed that a developer believes the delay will add $60 million more in development costs. This roughly matches the earlier $10 million per month estimate.
A reporter also noted that GTA VI might face yet another delay based on conflicting reports, though nothing is confirmed.
Some fans fear Rockstar may raise the base price due to these escalating costs. Many expect the game could reach $100 at launch. However, Wilson believes pricing it higher would trigger backlash and set a bad precedent.
Instead, he expects Rockstar to recover losses through premium editions and paid DLC, rather than pushing the standard price beyond consumer comfort.
Wilson also argued that accepting a half-billion-dollar delay may be cheaper than releasing an unfinished game. Rockstar’s reputation is strong, and damaging it would cost more long term.
He pointed to Cyberpunk 2077, which launched in a buggy and incomplete state despite multiple delays. Its rocky release overshadowed the game until CDPR fixed it over time. Rockstar appears determined not to repeat that mistake.