Rockstar Makes a Heartfelt Gesture – Seriously Ill Player Gets to Try GTA VI Before Release

While millions of gamers around the world are eagerly awaiting the release of Grand Theft Auto VI in the fall of 2026 — Rockstar Games’ most ambitious project to date — the studio has once again shown its deeply human side.

The story began with a public appeal from Anthony Armstrong, a developer at Ubisoft Toronto, who reached out to Rockstar leadership through a LinkedIn post. A close family member of his, a lifelong GTA fan, has been battling cancer for years and recently received a devastating prognosis of only a few months to live — meaning he would likely never see the official release of GTA VI.

Armstrong asked Rockstar for a rare and deeply personal favor: to allow his family member the chance to see and briefly play GTA VI before launch, under strict confidentiality agreements.

Thanks to overwhelming support from the gaming community, the message reached the right people. According to the latest reports, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar’s parent company), personally contacted Armstrong and delivered good news — an agreement was reached to make this special experience possible. Shortly after, Armstrong removed the original post to protect his family’s privacy.

This is not the first time Rockstar has gone above and beyond for its fans. A similar moment occurred in 2018, when a terminally ill fan was given early access to Red Dead Redemption 2 before its official release.

For now, GTA VI remains scheduled for release in November 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a PC version expected to follow at a later date.