After over 12 years, the agonizing wait for GTA 6 is almost over—for some. The game is currently locked in for a November 19, 2026, release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. But for millions of existing Grand Theft Auto V players, the wait is only just beginning.
Throughout its marketing campaign, Rockstar has not mentioned a PC release. There is no indication this will change before launch. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has suggested that skipping PC at launch is “standard practice” for the company, pointing to a long history of console-first releases that eventually branch out to other platforms post-launch.
The Scale of the Lockout
The number of affected players is staggering. While exact sales figures for GTA V on PC aren’t public, estimates give us a sense of the scale:
- VG Insights estimates Steam owners of the Legacy version at just over 36 million.
- PlayTracker puts the figure much higher at just under 78 million.
Even taking the lower estimate, that’s tens of millions of dedicated GTA fans who will be unable to play the sequel on their preferred platform at launch. While many of those players may already own a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, and some will undoubtedly purchase a console specifically for GTA 6, that still leaves millions locked out with no choice but to wait.
How Long Will the Wait Be?
Rockstar’s recent history offers the best guideline:
- Grand Theft Auto V: 19 months between its September 2013 console launch and April 2015 PC release.
- Red Dead Redemption 2: Just over a year between its October 2018 console launch and November 2019 PC release.
If GTA 6 follows the same path as Red Dead Redemption 2, PC players could be waiting until around November 2027. Telling players exactly how long they’ll need to wait could encourage many to stick it out, which is likely why Rockstar will remain silent on the matter until after the console launch. There are also obvious commercial benefits to selling the same game to players twice.
Also, Read
- GTA 6 Fans Lose it as Game Removed From PlayStation Store
- GTA 6 Gameplay Leaks Online Ahead of Imminent Pre-Order Reveal
- GTA 6 Preorders May Be Coming Soon, PlayStation Leak Hints
A Bitter Irony
Interestingly, this delay means that PC gamers may be hoping for no further console delays even more fervently than console gamers themselves. Any pushback on the November release would almost certainly delay the PC version further, extending the wait for everyone.
The good news is that this doesn’t seem to be the case. As of last month, Take-Two reaffirmed its plans to start the Grand Theft Auto VI marketing push this summer and confirmed its confidence in the November 19 release date.
For the millions waiting on PC, the message is clear: patience, once again, will be required.