'GTA 6' release date delayed as Rockstar exec has resigned?

The next release of the "Grand Theft Auto" franchise may most probably be pushed back as one of Rockstars most influential executives, Leslie Benzies, has left the company for good.

 Twitter courtesy of Rockstar Games

According to Kotaku, the Rockstar North studio lead has decided not to come back to the company after taking a 17-month long sabbatical leave. "We can confirm that Leslie Benzies went on sabbatical on September 1, 2014 and has decided not to return to work for the company. We are very grateful for Leslie's contributions to Rockstar over the last 15 years as we worked together to make some amazing games," Rockstar said to Kotaku in an official statement.

Benzies' team of game creators and developers in the Scotland-based Rockstar North have been foundational to developing the "GTA" franchise and many other Rockstar games. With this, there is reason to believe that the next instalment of the video game, "Grand Theft Auto VI," could be seeing a delay in its development and consequently its release as well. This is all dependent on whether Rockstar can bounce back from the loss of Benzies.

According to Neurogadget, there have been rumours flying around that "GTA VI" will no longer be launching for the current gaming consoles, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but will instead be created for the next line of consoles- the Xbox Two and the PlayStation 5.

The PlayStation 5 is reported to be currently already in development, after a job opening was spotted for a senior game developer over at Sony. The job posting said, "We have an exciting opportunity at Sony Computer Entertainment of America (PlayStation). We seek a senior game programmer to assist us in developing a game used for R&D purposes related to our next generation gaming system."

Although this may indicate that the Playstation 5 is currently in development, it is hard to tell how far the company is in terms of development.

If "GTA VI" is to launch for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Two, fans can look forward to 4k resolutions for the game thus resulting to crisper graphics.

Newsletter Stay up to date with Christian Today
News
What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?

24 May 2026 is Pentecost Sunday, when Christians recall the importance of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are the virtues that are produced in the life of a believer through the work of the Holy Spirit. This is the story …

Pentecost: Its meaning, significance and relevance for Christians today
Pentecost: Its meaning, significance and relevance for Christians today

Today is Pentecost - a special day in the Christian calendar that many Christians may have heard of, but do not always fully understand. Yet Pentecost is incredibly important, because it is deeply connected to the work of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.

Christian aid organisations mobilise emergency Ebola response in Democratic Republic of Congo
Christian aid organisations mobilise emergency Ebola response in Democratic Republic of Congo

Christian aid organisations are mobilising emergency health responses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following a deadly Ebola outbreak in the country’s north-east that has prompted international concern.

Three Baptist pastors killed in Manipur ambush after peace conference
Three Baptist pastors killed in Manipur ambush after peace conference

The victims were senior leaders of the Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI), a Baptist denomination rooted in the Thadou-Kuki community of Manipur.