Veteran insider Tom Henderson has revealed new insights about Grand Theft Auto VI, claiming that the game’s core content has been complete “for quite some time.” According to him, the recent delay announced by Rockstar Games isn’t tied to development setbacks but rather a strategic decision to ensure the game launches in a flawless technical state.

Henderson explained that Rockstar’s internal goal is to make GTA 6 the most polished release in the company’s history, with the team currently focused on refining performance, visual stability, and world detail. He emphasized that this extra time is meant to prevent a repeat of what happened with Cyberpunk 2077 — one of the industry’s most infamous rocky launches.

In parallel, industry analyst Aakash Gupta shared a fascinating financial perspective on Rockstar’s decision, calling it “the most expensive delay in gaming history.”

“Take-Two just lost $3.2 billion in market value to buy themselves six more months of polishing time,” Gupta wrote.
“They’re effectively spending $17 million per day to delay a game — all to avoid shipping something unfinished.”

Gupta also noted that launch-week sales alone could generate as much as $7 billion, reinforcing Rockstar’s view that quality, not speed, defines long-term success.

“An unfinished GTA 6 isn’t just a weak launch,” he continued. “It would destroy a 15-year legacy and derail Rockstar’s entire online roadmap.”

As expectations reach record highs, both Henderson and Gupta agree on one thing: Rockstar isn’t racing the calendar — it’s protecting its reputation. By the time GTA 6 arrives in November 2026, it may very well set a new standard for what “next-gen quality” truly means.