The impending doom for the video game industry is approaching in the form of 'GTA 6', the latest mammoth opus from Rockstar Games. The release of 'GTA 6' will not only shake up the gaming universe, but also the release of numerous other titles. Several major publishers have already indicated that they are prepared to postpone their games - and only to accommodate the gigantic GTA 6-wave out of the way.
GTA 6: The invisible opponent for publishers and developers
Rockstar Games has managed to create an incomparable masterpiece, whose arrival in fall 2025 is described as an unstoppable force. Although the exact release date has not yet been set, parent company Take-Two recently emphasized that it is firmly on schedule. Market analysts are predicting that "GTA 6" will conquer the games market this year - and with the force of an approaching meteorite. It is therefore not surprising that some publishers are delaying their titles in order to avoid being swallowed up by the GTA 6 explosion.
"A Rockstar title always costs an immense amount of money and, more importantly, time - which our titles will then no longer have." said a senior executive at one of the world's largest games publishers. "We don't want our game to be overshadowed by GTA6. That's why we have played through several scenarios for the release of our titles."
Another senior employee explained: "It's not just the money that's causing us headaches, but above all the time. The market is highly competitive and without a suitable release time, it becomes almost impossible to make a game really stand out."
Release strategies in the shadow of GTA 6
Concerns are high that "GTA 6" will be released as early as late October or early November, drastically reducing the little space left for other major releases. One European publisher commented on the issue to The Game Business, saying: "If GTA6 launches at this time, we either have no choice but to release our game even earlier - which is made even more difficult by the many summer releases - or later, which gets in the way with the Black Friday offers."
However, not only publishers, but also developers of live service games that rank in the top 10 most successful titles are taking measures to protect themselves from the GTA 6-wave. Two sources involved in such projects have reported that important updates may be postponed in order to avoid getting close to the gigantic release.
"GTA 6 is like a giant meteor that destroys everything in its path", said one studio boss. "We already have plans to move our releases either forward or back by three weeks to avoid the danger. But the problem is: everyone else will do the same, and in the end everyone will try to release in the supposedly safe period."
Despite these massive changes, which the GTA 6-The question remains unanswered: Will Rockstar really succeed in dominating the entire industry with its blockbuster, or will the other publishers still manage to hold their own in the giant's shadow?
The coming months will be decisive, and the gaming world will be watching with interest to see how this race for the best release date develops. The onslaught of "GTA 6" will certainly change everything. PlayStation, in particular, is likely to experience real upheaval after Sony allegedly secured a "gigantic" marketing deal with "GTA 6" should have.