GTA VI release date narrowed down

Take-Two Interactive Software announced an autumn (spring in South Africa) 2025 release date for its highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI video game and reduced its bookings forecast for the current fiscal year as a result.

The New York-based video-game giant sees bookings of $5.55 billion (R101 billion) to $5.65 billion in fiscal 2025, according to a statement Thursday.

A year ago, Take-Two shares surged when the company projected over $8 billion in bookings for the year.

In February, the company reduced that number to “a little above $7 billion (R127.4 billion).”

The change in forecasts reflects a later release date for the title from Take-Two’s Rockstar Games division.

Previously, Rockstar had said the game would come out on the 2025 calendar. Take-Two’s fiscal year ends in March.

Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be one of the highest-grossing entertainment properties ever.

Its 2013 predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V, has sold a record-breaking 200 million copies, the company said Thursday.

In late March, the video game site Kotaku reported that Grand Theft Auto VI was running late.

Take-Two reported fiscal fourth-quarter bookings of $1.35 billion (R24.6 billion), ahead of analysts’ forecasts, in part due to the strength of its Grand Theft Auto titles, as well as its NBA 2K23 game.

The shares were down almost 2.9% to $142 in after-hours trading.