Grand Theft Auto 6 is still a ways off, with its release pushed to May 26, 2026, but Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has some surprising news: he won’t be playing the game himself. During a recent earnings call and interview, Zelnick spoke about the delay and his role in the game’s development.
Earlier this month, Rockstar Games confirmed the delay that fans had feared, moving the release date back by six months. Leakers have said this extra time is “absolutely necessary” to avoid cutting cool features and to polish the game properly. Zelnick backed this up, explaining that the need for additional polish becomes apparent as a game nears completion.
GTA 6 Delay and CEO Comments
Despite rumors swirling about a possible second delay, Zelnick remains confident. He said, “I think historically when we set a specific date, generally speaking, we’ve been very good about reaching it.” So, it looks like May 2026 is the real deal.
What’s really interesting is that even though Zelnick is at the helm of the company behind GTA 6, he doesn’t plan to play it. In a CNBC interview, he admitted, “I’m not a gamer, not a lot – I don’t play video games, I’m not the consumer-in-chief.” He believes being the CEO and the main consumer might be a conflict, so he leaves the gaming to the fans.
Zelnick also mentioned that while he shares his opinions openly with the developers, he doesn’t get involved in the storylines or features. His focus is on attracting and motivating the best talent and then stepping back to let them do their thing.
There have been whispers that other game developers are hoping for another GTA 6 delay to have more room to release their titles, but Zelnick’s comments suggest that the current schedule is solid.
What do you think about the Take-Two CEO not playing GTA 6? Does it change how you see the game or the company? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
