GTA 6 Delayed? Or Just the Best April Fools’ Prank Ever?

Rockstar Games’ upcoming title, Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), has been in development for what feels like an eternity. The excitement is so high that even a fake delay announcement on April 1st had fans spiraling into panic mode. Yes, you read that right—people actually fell for the prank that GTA 6 was being delayed… to avoid competing with itself.

We break down this hilarious hoax, why Rockstar’s silence is driving fans crazy, and why GTA 6 is basically the gaming industry’s version of Bigfoot—everyone talks about it, but no one’s really seen it.

The April Fools' Prank That (Almost) Broke the Internet

On April 1, 2025, an article popped up claiming that Rockstar Games had delayed GTA 6 to… well, avoid competing with GTA 6. Yep, that was the reason. The (fictional) Rockstar CEO, Abe Riffle, was quoted saying:

"We felt that it was too big of a risk to release Grand Theft Auto 6 so close to GTA 6, so rather than have to compete directly, we are delaying Grand Theft Auto 6 into 2026. GTA 6 can have 2025 all to itself."

If your brain just short-circuited reading that, don’t worry—you’re not alone. The joke was so well-crafted that some fans actually believed it for a few seconds before realizing they had been played harder than a GTA NPC stuck in traffic.

But if you think about it, the prank actually made sense because at this point, Rockstar has delayed announcing the game longer than the actual in-game heists take to complete.

Why Rockstar’s Silence Feels Like a Torture Method

While the prank was fake, the real mystery remains: Why hasn’t Rockstar announced a release date yet? Here are a few theories:

1. Rockstar Wants It to Be Perfect (Because We Won’t Forgive Them If It’s Not)

Gamers have been waiting for over a decade. If GTA 6 releases and isn’t the greatest game ever made, there’s a solid chance people might riot. Rockstar knows this, so they’re taking their sweet time making sure every explosion, car chase, and over-the-top NPC reaction is absolute perfection.

2. Keeping Fans on the Edge Is the Best Free Marketing

Let’s be honest—Rockstar has somehow kept GTA 6 trending without posting anything substantial. Fans create rumors, leaks, and fake trailers daily, and Rockstar just sits back, watches the chaos, and enjoys the free PR.

3. Technical Issues (A.K.A. The "Oops, We Broke Something" Moment)

GTA 6 is expected to have a massive open world, multiple cities, and next-gen graphics. This means development is likely a nightmare. One small bug could result in a player falling through the map and ending up in Minecraft.

4. Avoiding Competition (From… Themselves?)

Unlike the prank’s ridiculous claim that GTA 6 was delayed to avoid competing with GTA 6, some games actually move their release dates to stay far, far away from Rockstar’s juggernaut. No one wants to launch a game in the same month as GTA 6 unless they enjoy watching their sales numbers get curb-stomped.

What We Actually Know About GTA 6

Despite Rockstar’s vow of silence, here’s what’s (probably) true about GTA 6:

• Vice City is Back! The game is rumored to be set in a modern version of Vice City, meaning neon lights, fast cars, and lots of questionable decision-making.

• Dual Protagonists – The trailer revealed two main characters, and some fans are hoping for Bonnie and Clyde-style crime action.

• Insane Graphics – Based on the trailer, the graphics are so realistic that we might have to start paying virtual taxes on our stolen cars.

• GTA Online Evolution – Rockstar made billions from GTA Online, so you can bet GTA 6’s multiplayer will be bigger, better, and more rage-inducing when your friend crashes your helicopter mid-mission.

So… When Are We Actually Getting GTA 6?

That, my friend, is the million-dollar question. If Rockstar’s past habits are anything to go by, we might get an official release date when we least expect it—probably when we’re all busy doing something else, like getting our driver’s licenses renewed.

Until then, all we can do is wait, watch for leaks, and prepare for the inevitable GTA 6 announcement that will probably break the internet harder than any April Fools' prank ever could.