“Please Tell Me You’re Kidding”: Inside the Calls That Delayed GTA VI
"You're kidding. Please tell me you're kidding."
That was Take-Two chief executive Strauss Zelnick's response when Rockstar's head of publishing, Jennifer Kolbe, rang him with news of a second delay to Grand Theft Auto VI. Kolbe recounted the exchange to Bloomberg in its making-of feature published on 14 October 2026. GameSpot
Kolbe said the development team came to her saying they felt a delay was necessary. She then called Zelnick to say a move to May 2026 was needed. Later she called a second time to say a further move to November 2026 was required.
The reason for the second delay was scope. The extra time was required to deliver Rockstar's full ambition for the game, Kolbe said. Once she and Zelnick talked through the reasons, he understood.
Zelnick has backed that call in public. Delaying a game is a "wise investment in time and financial resources" if it reaches the level of perfection the game can achieve, he said.
The dates tell the production story. GTA VI was originally set for release in 2025. It is now scheduled for release on 19 November 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, the current consoles from Sony and Microsoft.
The account comes from "The Making of Grand Theft Auto VI", Bloomberg's daylong interview with Kolbe and several other senior Rockstar staff at the company's Edinburgh office. Bloomberg said it was the first time Rockstar had openly discussed the game's development challenges. Bloomberg
The setting matters. Rockstar has a dozen offices around the world. Its power centre is Rockstar North in Edinburgh, housed in a three-floor office that formerly served as headquarters of The Scotsman newspaper.
Much of the interview covers world-building. The game's fictional Vice City is based on Miami. Staff made research trips there, riding with police, taking aerial photographs from helicopters and visiting nightclubs, with top artist Aaron Garbut among those shaping the look.
The business context was set out earlier. On 7 November 2025, Reuters reported that analysts said the shift to November 2026 could give publisher Take-Two a potentially bigger launch. Reuters
For fans, this means a longer wait with a fixed target. Two delays, two phone calls, and one very direct reaction at the top. Now the date on the calendar is 19 November 2026.
