Zelnick points at Cyberpunk's launch to explain the GTA 6 delays, and I can't really argue

by opNov 6, 2026, 05:39 AM
op
opAdmin
Nov 6, 2026, 05:39 AM

GTA 6 boss defends delays with nod to Cyberpunk 2077’s launch

So Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick went and used Cyberpunk 2077 as the example for why GTA 6 has been pushed back a few times. Dexerto picked it up. Basically the guy is saying they'd rather ship it late and ship it right than shove it out the door half-baked.

If you were around in December 2020 you know exactly what he's talking about. CD Projekt Red put that game out on last-gen consoles and it was a mess. Refunds, pulled from the PlayStation Store, the whole apology video thing. Took them years to claw the reputation back. Zelnick clearly doesn't want that headline with Rockstar's name on it.

It's a fair comparison, even if it feels convenient

I get why some people roll their eyes. Every delay gets the same speech, and it's easy to say "we're protecting the quality" when the game is already the most expensive thing anyone's ever made. But the Cyberpunk example is a real one. It actually happened. It's not some hypothetical.

And honestly, with GTA 6 sitting at November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, a few extra months to make sure it doesn't fall over on day one seems like the smarter play. I'd rather wait than spend launch week watching patch notes.

What I actually want to know

The part nobody's saying out loud is what the delays were actually for. Optimization? Content? Both? Zelnick isn't going to tell us, and Rockstar never does. We just get the date and the countdown.

Referencing a competitor's disaster as your reason for taking your time is a bold move, but it's one I can respect.

Anyway, the man's not wrong. A broken launch is the one thing that could actually hurt GTA 6, and they know it.

Does the Cyberpunk comparison make you feel better about the wait, or does it just sound like corporate spin at this point?


Source: Dexerto · Curated content.

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