It's a good thing Grand Theft Auto 6 didn't release in May

The month of May is now in full swing, and it’s becoming abundantly clear that Rockstar Games delaying Grand Theft Auto 6 to November was actually a good thing. While Grand Theft Auto 6 will undoubtedly be the biggest video game release of 2026, its second delay has given some other AAA releases their time to shine, as gamers have tons of releases to look forward to over the next few weeks. There were also some pretty big launches in April, which continue to be the talk of the internet into this month.

Any Grand Theft Auto fan will tell you that the wait for GTA 6 has been excruciating. Thankfully, it looks like we’re finally in the endgame now. Initially revealed in 2023 with an internet-breaking trailer, Grand Theft Auto 6 was once targeting a Fall 2025 release window. Anyone familiar with Rockstar Games and the studio’s history with delays knew this was probably a long shot…and it was. An expected delay pushed the title to May 26, 2026, and then the wait was on to see if Grand Theft Auto 6 was going to be delayed for a second time. Spoiler alert: it was. As of writing, GTA 6 is now set to launch for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19, 2026.

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May 2026 Is a Busy Month for Gamers

As it turns out, it was probably a good thing that Grand Theft Auto 6 didn’t stick to its May 26 release date, as there are already tons of big titles launching this month that gamers now have time to sink their teeth into. One of which is Subnautica 2, the sequel to the smash-hit 2018 action-adventure survival game. The sudden announcement that Subnautica 2 will launch in early access on May 14 has been so massive that it’s even forced other titles to move their release dates. And if that wasn’t enough, Forza Horizon 6 drifts on to Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 19, followed by the launch of Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight on May 22. Finally, May 27 will see the much-anticipated release of 007 First Light, IO Interactive’s adaptation of the iconic British spy, James Bond.

Balance the critic averages

Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)

As if the month of May isn’t already busy enough, many gamers are still enjoying some huge releases from back in April. Diablo 4 fans are still grinding the new Lord of Hatred DLC, which launched on April 27, adding two new classes, a new region, and other major improvements to the game. Plus, April 17 saw the release of Pragmata, Capcom’s latest big release, which has received rave reviews from both players and critics. April was then capped off with Saros, Housemarque’s spiritual successor to its roguelike third-person shooter, Returnal.

This Month Could Have Looked Very Different

Now, would any of these releases have affected GTA 6 if it had stuck to its May 26 release date? Absolutely not. In fact, if Rockstar hadn’t delayed its launch to November, there’s a strong chance that many of the aforementioned titles might not have even been available this month. Of course, there’s no way to know that for certain, but there have been rumors in the past that big-name publishers are actively looking to avoid competing with Rockstar and are gearing up to delay their games and steer clear of GTA 6‘s blast zone.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

But, even if these games did move their release dates, there’s still no denying that it is a good thing Grand Theft Auto 6 didn’t release this month. Now, huge titles that are actually ready to release, like Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, 007 First Light, and many more, can have their time to shine without having to unnecessarily delay their release dates to avoid competing with Grand Theft Auto 6. Which, by the sounds of it, if it had launched in May, would not have been an enjoyable experience for gamers. As Rockstar seeks nothing short of perfection, a six-month delay means there was likely still plenty of optimization and bugs to address.