Expert maintains GTA 6 release forecast for 2026

GTA 6 remains at the center of attention for Brazilian fans, while new rumors about a possible delay circulate online. However, an expert with a precise track record of information about Rockstar Games, Tom Henderson, editor-in-chief of Insider Gaming, reaffirms his belief that the highly anticipated game maintains its original release date for 2026. This confirmation comes amidst a wave of concern following statements from another journalist, Jason Schreier, who mentioned that the title was still not feature-complete. The relevance is enormous, as the release of a new Grand Theft Auto is a cultural event that redefines the gaming market and has moved a legion of fans in Brazil for over a decade.
The controversy began when Schreier, from Bloomberg, commented on the game’s development status, sparking fears of a new delay. On the other hand, Henderson, who has a solid history of confirmed leaks about the franchise, expresses confidence in Rockstar’s schedule. In a recent episode of the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, he clarified that the game development process is dynamic and can change quickly, but his sources and analysis of the “console release pipeline” lead him to believe in the November 19th date. Thus, while the community speculates, a respected voice in the industry attempts to calm nerves based on concrete data.
What does “feature-complete” mean in development?
Tom Henderson took the opportunity to better explain the term that caused so much stir. He pointed out that in the universe of game development, saying a project is not 100% feature-complete does not necessarily mean an imminent delay. This is a normal stage, especially for a title of colossal scale like GTA 6, where final adjustments and polishing are constant. Rockstar Games is known for being perfectionist, and all its major releases go through intense phases of refinement until the last moment. Therefore, Schreier’s observation, although factual, should not be interpreted as a definitive alarm signal.
The impact of a possible rescheduling, however, would be felt across the entire industry’s release calendar. Major publishers usually avoid releasing their most important games near a phenomenon like GTA, which creates a domino effect. Henderson’s confidence, therefore, ends up being an indicator of stability for the entire gaming ecosystem in 2026. For the Brazilian player, who follows every detail with anticipation since the first trailer, the message is one of cautious optimism: the wait may indeed end this year, but it’s always good to remember that predictions, even from experts, are not official guarantees.





