The hype around Grand Theft Auto 6 has always been massive, but according to one analyst, its latest delay might have an unexpected side effect: it could actually push back the launch of the next generation of PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
Rockstar Games recently announced that GTA 6, originally expected in May 2026, will now arrive in November 2026. The delay didn’t surprise many fans — Rockstar is known for taking its time — but the timing could shake up hardware release schedules for both Sony and Microsoft.
GTA 6 Could Shift the Next Console Cycle
Piers Harding-Rolls, director of games research at Ampere Analytics, told GamesIndustry.biz that GTA 6’s release will likely have “a significant impact on console sales dynamics in 2026.” In other words, the game could completely change how both companies approach their hardware launches.
Leaked reports suggest the PlayStation 6 is targeting a late 2027 release, with the next Xbox expected around the same time. But Harding-Rolls believes both companies might now “be tempted to get more from the current console generation” and delay new hardware by another year or so — all to capitalize on GTA 6’s enormous momentum.
Why a Delay Would Make Sense
On paper, it might sound strange for Sony and Microsoft to hold back their new systems when GTA 6 would still have a solid year to boost PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sales. But this is Grand Theft Auto 6 — a game carrying over a decade of anticipation since GTA 5’s launch, and one almost guaranteed to dominate the market for years.
For Microsoft, which reported a dip in console revenue over the last fiscal year, holding off on new hardware could help squeeze more value out of the Xbox Series X/S while riding the wave of GTA 6. And for Sony, which recently said the PlayStation 5 is only “halfway through its lifecycle,” there’s little incentive to rush the PS6 out the door while its current console is still performing well.
Nothing’s Set in Stone — Yet
Of course, this is all speculation for now. Harding-Rolls emphasized that a console delay isn’t confirmed — just that it’s a real possibility given how massive GTA 6’s impact is expected to be.
If any game could shift the timeline for next-gen consoles, though, it’s Grand Theft Auto 6. The previous entry, GTA 5, became one of the best-selling games of all time, moving over 190 million copies and dominating the industry for an entire decade.
With that kind of legacy, it’s not hard to imagine Sony and Microsoft wanting to give the current generation one more big victory lap before they move on.
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