As Rockstar Games gears up to launch the highly-expected Grand Theft Auto VI on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in Fall 2025, PC gamers remain in suspense. While there is no official word on a PC release date, industry insiders and historical trends from the company suggest that the PC version of GTA VI is likely to arrive in 2026, following a familiar delay strategy designed to optimize performance, address complex hardware configurations, and maximize revenue across platforms.
Expected Release Window for PC
Rockstar Games officially announced that Grand Theft Auto VI will debut on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in Fall 2025. As of now, the developer hasn’t confirmed a release window for the PC version, leaving desktop gamers to rely on leaks and industry commentary. However, financial disclosures and corporate earning calls have offered key insights. During its Q4 earnings call, Corsair’s VP of Finance Ronald van Veen noted robust pre-order interest for GTA VI and hinted that the PC launch could follow the console rollout by just a few months, pointing toward an early 2026 window. Thus, the return to Vice City on PC would be closer than other releases.
Leading games publications also support this timeline. PCGamesN reports that Take-Two’s internal roadmap and analysts’ forecast place the PC launch in early 2026, aligning with the company’s strategy of staggered releases to ensure a polished experience.
Historical precedent further bolster these projections. Grand Theft Auto V launched on consoles in September 2013, yet did not arrive on PC until April 2015, resulting in a nineteen-month gap until we could test the casino games experience on our computers… or the Red Dead Redemption 14 years gap. Yet, the delay we saw for GTA V allowed Rockstar to optimize game performance, incorporate enhanced graphics settings, and introduce exclusive features such as Director Mode.
Factors Influencing the PC Launch Timing
Rockstar’s decision to postpone the PC version is driven by technical and strategic factors. Modern PCs vary widely in CPU, GPU, and memory configurations, needing extensive testing and fine-tuning to ensure stable frame rates and high graphical fidelity, especially given GTA VI’s advanced AI, environmental physics and multiplayer systems. Staggered releases also allow Take-Two to maximize console revenue first and then tap the equally lucrative PC market, capitalizing on digital distribution and downloadable content sales.
The company has acknowledged this approach. CFO Lainie Goldstein affirmed that the PC community will receive a “best-in-class experience,” suggesting extra development time for optimization. Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, confirmed that GTA VI would not launch simultaneously on PC and consoles, underscoring the strategic delay to protect initial sales figures and maintain marketing momentum.
Concerns over piracy and unauthorized distribution further support a delayed PC launch, enabling Rockstar to implement robots anti-tamper solutions before the desktop release, reducing early cracks and leaks. Some sources are speculating that the PC release could slip into late 2026 for these same reasons, but the bulk of industry analysis points to a window in early 2026, likely around January and February, pending an official announcement from Rockstar Games.