Take-Two boss asserts GTA 6 launch date in 'man-on-the-street'-style TikTok interview

Take-Two Boss Strauss Zelnick has reaffirmed his belief that Grand Theft Auto 6 will arrive this year in a TikTok interview with ‘The School of Hard Knocks,’ while also revealing why he thinks the game has taken so long to develop.

Without doubt, the launch of GTA 6 is the biggest gaming news of 2026, with fans desperate to get their hands on it and hype for a game launch at an all-time high. With multiple delays over the past few years, it’s no surprise that gamers are still nervous about the proposed GTA 6 release date on November 19, but Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has been doing the rounds in recent weeks to try and put those concerns to bed.

Appearing in a TikTok with The School of Hard Knocks, who goes around interviewing wealthy businesspeople to find out more about how they made their wealth, Zelnick doubled down on the date again, while also discussing the development process.

The supposedly off-the-cuff video, which appears to show Zelnick being approached on the street by the TikTok star as he exits a building, sees the Take-Two’s head honcho being asked about when Grand Theft Auto 6 will come out, with Zelnick swiftly replying “November 19.”

When asked why the development of the game has taken so long, the 68-year-old said that “the team at Rockstar really does seek to do something that’s never been done before. That’s really hard, and it takes a lot of time.” Zelnick went on to discuss the business of Take-Two, revealing that the company made $6.7 billion in revenue last year and expects to see that jump up to $8 billion this year.

@theschoolofhardknocks

$8 BILLION from WHAT 🤯 I interviewed the CEO of one of the biggest video game companies in the world, Strauss Zelnick and I asked him how he got RICH! Since his company publishes the “GTA” video games, I asked him when GTA XI is coming out! I also asked him the number one lesson about business he would teach to people that’s not taught in a classroom. Lastly, I asked him the best advice he’d give the younger generation. #wealth #entrepreneur #financialfreedom #motivation

♬ original sound – The School of Hard Knocks

This is the second time in a month that Zelnick has doubled down on the release date. In an interview with business podcaster David Zenra, the CEO of Take-Two said that he knew GTA 6 would drop on November 19.

Even with the 18-month delay, it appears that Rockstar is in a race against time to finish the game for the fall, with reports of crunch first surfacing back in May. With less than six months to go, time is ticking away, and the pressure is on for Rockstar and Take-Two to avoid any more delays to what must be the most highly anticipated game of all time. No pressure, guys.