Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) has been delayed by six months. It will now arrive in November 2026. The shift has raised new questions across the gaming industry. Analysts are now asking how far the ripple effect of this delay can go. One big question stands out:
Could GTA 6’s delay push the next generation of consoles forward by a full year?
Piers Harding-Rolls, research director at Ampere Analysis, presented the idea as a thought experiment. He did not give a definitive answer. However, he explained why the question matters.
He noted that GTA VI is a major driver of hardware sales. It boosts console demand not just at launch but for years. Because of this, Sony and Microsoft likely wanted GTA VI to be released earlier in the PS5 and Xbox Series lifecycle. Ampere currently expects the next-gen PlayStation and Xbox to launch in late 2027. But the analyst wonders if the companies might wait until 2028 to maximise sales from the current generation.
The point holds weight. The current generation had a slow start. COVID-19 disrupted early hardware manufacturing. Console prices rose while global economic uncertainty grew. Many big games also continued shipping on last-gen platforms. Analysts believe GTA VI will finally fuel current-gen adoption. Many players have waited specifically for GTA VI, which will release as a current-gen-exclusive title.
Therefore, if adoption ramps up later than expected, talk of next-gen hardware could also shift.
However, other analysts disagree with linking the next-gen timeline to GTA VI.
George Jijiashvili, senior principal analyst at Omdia, argued that delaying the ‘PS6’ would not benefit Sony. He pointed out that a late 2027 launch already places the next-gen console one year after GTA VI. He questioned why companies would delay an entire generation to gain extra hardware sales from players buying the game long after release. He added that Sony and Microsoft want people to move to new hardware as soon as possible.
He also highlighted that, like GTA V, GTA VI will remain relevant for years and support current-gen users. Omdia’s current prediction places the PS6 in 2028. Even if they expected it in 2027, Jijiashvili said the GTA VI delay would not change their forecast.
Rhys Elliott, head of market analysis at Alinea Analytics, echoed this view. He stated that delaying PlayStation or Xbox hardware due to GTA VI does not align with strategic planning. He explained that console launches require years of locked-in preparation. This includes manufacturing, chip contracts, logistics, retail coordination, and first-party software plans. These cannot be shifted easily.
He further warned that delaying next-gen consoles for GTA VI would introduce unnecessary risk. The supply chain remains fragile. Economic shifts could disrupt production. He also noted that the game could face another delay, creating uncertainty for companies tying their timelines to a moving target.
The game is still a year away. Analysts believe the question is worth watching as more next-gen rumours surface. The industry is also monitoring the broader effects of the delay. This includes changes to the 2026 release calendar, reactions from players, and comments from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick.
For now, the debate continues. Some analysts see a possible shift to 2028. Others see no direct link at all. The only certainty is that GTA VI’s delay has once again shaken the industry, and the conversation is far from over.