GTA 6 could be 2026’s biggest game: it’s still not a Game of the Year lock

Grand Theft Auto VI is now set to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The money projections are huge. Newzoo says GTA VI could bring in $3.25 billion to $5.2 billion and move 37 million to 60 million copies in its first week alone, with year-one forecasts sitting at 40 million. That kind of release would help push the broader games market to $213.9 billion, with full-game spending up 17.5%. Prediction markets are just as bullish on the awards side: after the game’s extended look on Netflix and YouTube, GTA VI is sitting at 74% to 75% to win Game of the Year, far ahead of Marvel’s Wolverine, which is down at 2% to 6%.

Grand Theft Auto V Download

If you’re already planning to pick up Grand Theft Auto VI at launch, that probably sounds like all the reassurance you need. Still, big sales don’t automatically turn into the top award. The Game Awards rules split voting 90% to the jury and 10% to the public, and there’s already a clear example of that playing out: at The Game Awards 2018, God of War beat Red Dead Redemption 2.

The timing could matter, too. Grand Theft Auto VI’s November 19 release lands very close to The Game Awards’ November 15 to 25 nomination cutoff. Marvel’s Wolverine is due out earlier, on September 15 for PlayStation 5, while Gears of War: E-Day hits October 6 on Xbox Series X/S and Windows, with a beta planned for August. And then there’s the Zelda chatter, with a Korean rating listing kicking Ocarina of Time remake rumors back into gear. Grand Theft Auto VI will be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.