Take-Two CEO eases GTA 6 delay fears, says "a lot of people will be calling in sick on November 19"

• Copy link
• Facebook
• X
• Pinterest
• Flipboard
• Email

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says there will be a lot of people calling in sick on November 19, 2026, which is definitely good news for anyone fearing another GTA 6 delay.

Speaking at the Interactive Innovation Conference, where Zelnick spoke about the approach to pricing GTA 6 and that Rockstar will spin up marketing "soon," he said, "What we think about is making the most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth, in history – and it’s a pretty daunting challenge. If we do that, and if we’re of service to our customers, then the upside will take care of itself." And that he expects "a lot of people will be calling in sick on November 19" (thanks, IGN).

While it's just a bit of a jokey comment, it does show that – as far as Take-Two is concerned – GTA 6 will be releasing on November 19, 2026. Obviously, with Rockstar, there are always delays, and there's a fear that the developer will further delay GTA 6 once more.

Article continues below

And of course, he's right about the calling-in-sick prediction: massive game releases have had this for decades at this point – most notably, Dragon Quest games release on Saturdays in Japan to avoid kids skipping school (with an urban legend alleging this was by law). And given that GTA 6 is probably the single-most anticipated game of all time, there's bound to be a ton of people ready to take holidays, and the ones that couldn't get them are ready to call in sick.

Unfortunately, by writing this, I've now got concrete evidence against me if I decide to call in sick when GTA 6 comes out, so please think of me when you're creating your best fake-sore-throat voice before calling work.

GTA 6 is largely British-made, but UK politicians likely won't brag about it like France did for Clair Obscur Expedition 33, minister says: "If we were the US, we'd be puffing out our chests."

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

TOPICS CATEGORIES

Scott McCraeContributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

View More

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout LATEST ARTICLES

1. 1EA CEO says 85% of the publisher's QA work uses AI, but it's not taking jobs, it's making them
2. 2All Re Rangers X codes (April 2026) for Gems, Keys, and more
3. 3New 12GB RTX 5070 gaming laptops should start shipping this summer, fortifying mid-range QHD performance
4. 4The Boys season 5, episode 5 recap: Easter eggs, cameos, and who dies
5. 5Arc Raiders Wrench in the Works quest guide