GTA 6 release date has made Xbox very jumpy, Microsoft confirms

It appears that 2025 is set to be a massive year for gaming. With big game releases and even a brand-new console reportedly launching, it is no wonder developers are scared of stepping on each other’s toes.

You may have noticed that the last few weeks have been dedicated to quite a few gaming showcases. From Summer Game Fest to the Nintendo Direct and everything in between, it is the time where gamers can get excited about some upcoming releases.

Check out the official trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI below!

One such event was the Xbox Games Showcase which many viewers claimed was the best event of the year. However, said viewers also noticed that a lot of upcoming titles had one thing in common: a vague release date.

Highly anticipated titles such as the Perfect Dark reboot, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Fable were all given a vague 2025 release date if anything at all which had some fans questioning if we would even see them arrive any time soon.

However, the mystery has been somewhat solved during a recent interview with Matt Booty, Xbox’s president of gaming content and studios, on Variety’s Strictly Business podcast.

Talk soon turned to the vague release dates and Booty was asked if this was due to the release of Grand Theft Auto VI which is expected to launch sometime in Fall of 2025.

“I think many across the industry are of course going to plan around GTA VI, and we’re all looking forward to that game, which should be amazing,” Booty replied.

This is perhaps unsurprising considering that Grand Theft Auto VI has become one of the most anticipated titles of all time. With it being over 10 years since the last entry, fans are eager to dive back into the chaotic world created by Rockstar Games.

However, Booty also claimed that Xbox didn’t want to step on its own toes when it came to major releases.

“For us, I think the issue is as much making sure we don’t step on ourselves. We have a pretty big portfolio, we have a pretty big line-up through the fall and through the spring, and we certainly want to make sure that every game is given space and has got an opportunity to shine.”