Is *GTA 6* really unfazed? Take-Two downplays rumors of a delay tied to the PS6

The rhythm hasn’t been thrown off.

What changed this time is the tone across the industry.

A while back, rumors about the PS6 and the next-generation Xbox being delayed were spreading as densely as a combo string. Players’ concerns were also very straightforward: if hardware components—especially memory and storage—hit a bottleneck, the next-gen console window originally targeted for late 2027 could be forced to slide back.

Let’s start with where the rumors came from.

In January, MST International analyst David Gibson mentioned that at least the PlayStation 6 could arrive later than many expected because of the current memory and storage crisis. Then in February, Bloomberg reported that Sony was evaluating pushing the PS6 back to 2028, or even 2029. Once that wind-up gets stretched out, players are naturally going to get nervous.

Microsoft, while not singled out to the same extent, isn’t entirely in the clear either. GDC officially confirmed that the next-generation Xbox, codenamed “Project Helix,” will distribute Alpha developer kits in 2027. Under a normal timeline, that wouldn’t necessarily be bad news, but once you place it in the broader context of delay rumors, the community will automatically start filling in the blanks with “Does this mean it’s slipping to 2028?”

Now let’s talk about the real key piece of information this time.

In an interview with GamesIndustry, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick directly tapped the brakes on the market narrative. His message was very clear: component pricing and supply issues will not affect the launch timeline of next-generation consoles. His exact words were simple: "We think this won’t affect the process of bringing the consoles to market."

Why does that carry weight?

Simple. Take-Two isn’t a bystander on the sidelines—it’s a major player. A third-party publisher at that level usually gets an early read on platform timing, or at least knows roughly how Sony and Microsoft are scheduling things. Especially for a product on the scale of GTA 6, platform windows, install base, and release cadence all have to be aligned well in advance. The fact that Zelnick is willing to say this suggests that, at the very least, the industry itself is not treating “a major console delay caused by the component crisis” as a foregone conclusion.

He also took the opportunity to reiterate one more point: no AI can make a game like GTA 6. I agree with that. Right now, AI is more like a sparring partner in training mode—it can help patch up moves, but it can’t play the real match. At the level of a AAA open world, design, coordination, and content density aren’t things you can just cobble together by stacking a few models.

Looking at the broader trend, my take is straightforward: even if next-generation consoles get a slight adjustment, it most likely won’t be because components have gone completely out of control. It’s more likely that both sides are still trying to find the balance between performance, cost, and launch lineup. Put plainly, hardware launches aren’t about talking tough—they’re about whether your launch lineup has a finishing move.

One last point.

Players don’t need to let rumors set the pace just yet. Especially if you’re the type who likes to wait, it’s better to watch for official signals around 2027 before deciding whether to start budgeting for a PS6 or the new Xbox. At this stage, the most reliable conclusion is just this: the delay rumors are there, but based on Take-Two’s assessment this time, it hasn’t reached red-alert territory.