GTA 6 Delay Had Nothing To Do With Rockstar Firings, It's Claimed

Grand Theft Auto 6 was not delayed by the recent controversial shootings by Rockstar, according to a journalist with a strong track record of accurate reporting about the company. The claim runs counter to widespread fan theories that surfaced following confirmation of the latest GTA 6 postponement.

Yesterday, Take-Two Interactive announced the second GTA 6 delay to date, rescheduling the game from May 26 to November 19, 2026. The move comes just days after the company was accused of union-busting for firing more than 30 developers across its UK (31) and Canadian (3) offices. The close timing of the two events fueled speculation that the shootings were linked to the delay.

The timing of GTA 6's second delay announcement has a simpler explanation

Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier — who predicted the second GTA 6 delay half a year in advance, citing company sources — disputed the theory linking the delay to recent layoffs. “The game didn't slide 6 months because 34 people got fired a week ago,” he wrote in a Nov. 6 post on the ResetEra forum. Schreier also shared an alternative, much more straightforward explanation for the timing of the second delay confirmation: Take-Two's earnings day. “It was announced today because Take-Two reported earnings today,” he said.

4 out of 5 GTA 6 timelines in a row with Take-Two earnings

Schreier cited no sources to support his claim, making it unclear whether he was offering reporting or an informed opinion. Regardless, his argument is consistent with Take-Two's recent pattern: three out of five GTA 6 timing announcements have coincided with the publisher's earnings days, while a fourth occurred shortly before. These include the narrowing of the release window to “autumn 2025” in May 2024, a repeat of that window in February 2025, and the latest confirmation of the postponement on November 6. Meanwhile, the first GTA 6 the delay was announced less than two weeks before Take-Two reported its FY25 earnings in May 2025. The only timing update far removed from an earnings report was the game's original December 2023 reveal trailer, which included a 2025 launch window.

Controversial Rockstar Firings May Still Cause a GTA 6 Delay

While correlation does not imply causation, Schreier acknowledged that the recent Rockstar shootings may eventually have an effect GTA 6s development enough to cause further delays. He pointed to potential consequences such as reduced work ethic, protracted legal disputes and difficulty filling leadership roles as possible factors that could lead to more missed deadlines moving forward.

The game didn't slip 6 months because 34 people were fired a week ago. It was announced today as Take-Two reported earnings today.

Rockstar stated that it is being dismissed GTA 6 developer was fired for leaking company secrets via a private Discord server. However, some of the affected employees have disputed that claim, describing the move as a clear case of union-busting. All of the fired staff were said to have been union members, and the Discord server in question was reportedly dedicated to union issues, primarily focused on labor relations, according to the testimony of an alleged member. Just a week before the layoffs, the union had reportedly reached 200 members, surpassing the 10% legal threshold required to seek formal recognition and begin collective bargaining. The termination of dozens of those members is said to have brought the number below that threshold and created a chilling effect among remaining employees, the same individual claimed.