Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6, one of the most eagerly anticipated games of recent years, was delayed once again this week. The game, previously scheduled for May 2026, has been moved to November 19, 2026, following a new decision by Rockstar Games.

Here’s the cost of delaying GTA 6

The cost of this delay was detailed by economics professor Rob Wilson, speaking to VideoGamer. Wilson stated that the decision to delay the game by six months will cause Rockstar Games to lose $500 million.

According to the professor, the delay means that both the Rockstar team and the externally supported companies will continue working on the game for another six months. This directly translates into additional costs for the company.

Furthermore, a new promotional campaign must be created in response to this new release date. Wilson stated that this additional work and the budget allocated for the new promotional campaign alone could add an additional $350 million to the game’s total cost.

Rob Wilson maintains that the decision to delay, despite the additional cost of half a billion dollars, was the right move. The long-term benefits of a smooth GTA 6 launch will far outweigh the costs incurred by the delay.

Even before this latest delay, GTA 6’s budget was rumored to be close to $1 billion. Now, with these added costs, the total budget for the new GTA game has risen even higher. This raises significant questions about the game’s price tag.

It was previously claimed that GTA 6 could be sold for as little as $100. While a $100 price tag may be excessive, the increased budget could significantly impact the game’s price tag. Within the gaming community, there is concern that such a price increase will be accepted as a new standard by the rest of the industry.