GTA 6 Delay: Will It Stall Next-Gen Consoles Too?
▼ Summary
– GTA VI’s delay to November 2026 has raised questions about its potential impact on the gaming industry, including next-gen console release timing.
– Analyst Piers Harding-Rolls proposed that GTA VI’s late arrival could delay next-gen consoles, as it is a major hardware sales driver and manufacturers might extend the current generation to capitalize on it.
– Other analysts argue that delaying next-gen consoles due to GTA VI doesn’t make strategic sense, as console launches require fixed multi-year planning and shifting them could incur financial and operational risks.
– Current forecasts for next-gen PlayStation and Xbox range from late 2027 to 2028, with analysts noting that GTA VI’s delay is unlikely to influence these timelines.
– GTA VI is expected to accelerate adoption of current-generation consoles, as it is a current-gen exclusive that many consumers are waiting for to upgrade their hardware.
The recent announcement that Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed to November 2026 has sent ripples across the gaming industry, sparking intense speculation about its wider consequences. One particularly intriguing theory suggests this postponement could potentially impact the launch schedule for the next generation of PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Industry experts are now debating whether the absence of such a colossal system-seller could lead platform manufacturers to reconsider their hardware roadmaps.
Piers Harding-Rolls, a research director at Ampere Analysis, is among those contemplating this possibility. He notes that blockbuster titles like GTA VI are powerful drivers of hardware sales, not just at launch but for years afterward. Both Sony and Microsoft would have ideally wanted the game to release much earlier in the current console lifecycle to maximize its benefits. With next-generation consoles currently forecast for a late 2027 arrival, Harding-Rolls wonders if the companies might now be tempted to extend the current generation. By riding the massive sales wave expected from GTA VI in late 2026 and beyond, they could potentially delay their new hardware until 2028 to extract more value from the existing PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
This line of thinking is supported by the slower-than-expected adoption rate of the current console generation. Analysts point to several contributing factors: initial supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, higher console prices amid global economic uncertainty, and the fact that many major games continue to be released on the previous generation of hardware. GTA VI is widely anticipated to be a major catalyst that finally pushes a large number of holdouts to upgrade to current-gen systems. If this adoption surge is pushed later into the cycle due to the game’s delay, it stands to reason that console makers might be hesitant to introduce a new generation while there is still significant revenue to be gained from the current one.
However, not all analysts are convinced by this theory. When presented with the idea, George Jijiashvili, a senior principal analyst at Omdia, expressed skepticism. He questioned the strategic logic, pointing out that a late 2027 console launch would already be a full year after GTA VI’s release. Delaying an entire hardware generation for the sake of additional GTA-driven console sales more than a year post-launch doesn’t seem to make business sense. Jijiashvili also emphasized that platform holders typically want to transition consumers to the next generation as quickly as possible. Furthermore, he expects GTA VI, much like its predecessor, will be a cross-generational title that continues to serve the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S audience for a long time. He added that his own firm’s projection for the PlayStation 6 is already 2028, a timeline unaffected by the GTA VI delay.
Rhys Elliott, head of market analysis at Alinea Analytics, shared this view, also suggesting that a 2027 launch for next-gen hardware feels premature regardless of GTA VI’s schedule. From his perspective, delaying a console launch solely because a single game shifted its release date lacks strategic and operational logic. The process of launching a new console involves immense, multi-year planning across manufacturing, securing chip supplies, managing global logistics, coordinating with retailers, and aligning first-party software. These complex timelines are typically locked in far in advance and are incredibly difficult to alter without incurring significant financial and operational penalties.
Elliott also highlighted the considerable risks involved. The global supply chain has demonstrated its fragility in recent years, and further macroeconomic disruptions could easily hamper production plans. An even greater risk would be anchoring a console strategy to GTA VI, only for the game to be delayed again, leaving platform holders with a stretched plan tied to a moving target.
With a full year remaining until GTA VI’s anticipated launch, this question will undoubtedly be revisited as more information about next-gen console plans emerges. The industry will be closely monitoring all the knock-on effects of this delay, from its impact on the 2026 game release calendar to the strategic responses from competitors and the long-term financial implications for publisher Take-Two Interactive.
(Source: IGN)