Postponement of GTA 6 could cost Rockstar $60 million for polishing.

The announcement from Rockstar Games regarding the new delay of GTA 6 to November 19, 2026 has generated criticism and financial concern. Insider reports indicate that the six-month delay could cost Rockstar up to an additional $60 million, even though the game is already "content complete".

Tom Henderson from Insider Gaming revealed the estimated cost in his podcast on November 8, as reported by Dexerto: "I got a number from a developer on this, and they think this is going to cost Take Two $10 million a month extra now. So, we're talking an extra $60 million." Henderson added that the cost could reach $100 million with additional expenses included.

Despite the significant amount, the sum is considered insignificant in the context of the projected budget for GTA 6 of $2 billion. The title is expected to be a massive source of profits, supporting not only Take-Two, but the gaming industry as a whole.

The delay aims to avoid what reporter Kiwi Talkz described as "the Cyberpunk situation", claiming that their sources indicate that the game is ready in terms of content, but Rockstar needs extra time for polishing and bug fixing.

Kiwi Talkz also addressed the X to refute rumors that the delay was linked to the dismissal of developers aligned with unions in the United Kingdom: “There are over 6000 employees working at Rockstar, you don't delay a game because of 35 people being fired,” he said, claiming to have heard employees discussing the delay before the layoffs. Reporter Jason Schreier reinforced this information: “While the consequences of these layoffs can certainly have a long-term impact on the project and lead to more missed deadlines in the future — due to these vacant roles, prolonged legal battles, loss of morale, etc. — the game did not delay 6 months because 34 people were fired a week ago.”

Despite the fans' frustration, the general attitude towards the delay was summed up by actor Gaten Matarazzo (Stranger Things), who advised Rockstar: "take that time. Do that delay. We'll be here when it's here. We'll be ready."

The delay of GTA 6 to November 19, 2026 could cost up to $60 million for Take-Two, although insiders (including Tom Henderson and Kiwi Talkz) claim that the content is complete. The extra time will be used for thorough polishing and to avoid a "Cyberpunk situation". The reports unlink the delay from the recent dismissals in the United Kingdom.