GTA 6 Release Date on PC Could Take Place in 2026 After Initial Debut on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X This Autum

Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to debut on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X in Autumn 2025. However, PC gamers may need to wait longer for its release. Rockstar Games typically launches its games on current-generation consoles first, with PC versions following years later. Although the exact PC release date for GTA 6 remains unconfirmed, Take-Two Interactive has hinted that it will eventually be available on the platform.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick discussed Rockstar's release strategy in an interview with IGN. He noted that the company often starts with certain platforms before expanding to others. "So with Civ (Civilization) 7, it's available on console and PC and Switch right away. With regard to others in our lineup, we don't always go across all platforms simultaneously. Historically, Rockstar has started with some platforms and then historically moved to other platforms," Zelnick told IGN ahead of Take-Two's recent Q3 2025 earnings call.

Rockstar's Historical PC Release Patterns

Rockstar Games has a history of delaying PC releases for its titles. For instance, Grand Theft Auto 5 launched on PS3 and Xbox 360 in September 2013 but only reached PCs in April 2015, nearly two years later. Red Dead Redemption 2 followed a similar pattern, debuting on consoles in October 2018 and arriving on PC in November 2019.

The delay for GTA 5's PC version was due to extended development time. However, Grand Theft Auto 4 had a shorter gap between console and PC releases, with the latter arriving just seven months after the initial launch in April 2008. This suggests that GTA 6 might follow a similar timeline.

Potential Timing for GTA 6's PC Launch

Given the planned console release of GTA 6 in late 2025, a PC version could potentially be ready by 2026 at the earliest. The increasing importance of the PC platform for game releases was highlighted by Zelnick during his interview. Sony has begun launching its exclusive PlayStation titles on PC after a period of exclusivity, while Microsoft releases its first-party titles simultaneously on Xbox and PC.

Zelnick also emphasised that not releasing GTA 6 on PC would result in significant revenue loss since a multiplatform game's PC version can account for over 40% of total sales. Despite this, he noted that the game's launch would boost console sales as well.

Impact on Console Sales

The anticipated release of GTA 6 is expected to drive an increase in sales for PS5 and Xbox Series S/X consoles. Analysts predict it could become one of the biggest entertainment launches ever, prompting many who don't own current-gen consoles to purchase them just to play the game.

"When you have a big title in the market and we have many of them coming, historically that has sold consoles," Zelnick said. He expects PS5 and Xbox Series S/X sales to experience a "meaningful uptick" in 2025 due to a busy release schedule.

During Take-Two's recent Q3 earnings call for fiscal year 2025, Zelnick reaffirmed the Fall 2025 launch window for GTA 6. Alongside this highly anticipated title, Take-Two plans to release Mafia: The Old Country and Borderlands 4 within the same year.