Xbox Exec Says The Company Will Plan Around GTA 6's Launch

Summary

Microsoft reveals it is planning the releases of its first-party titles around GTA 6's 2025 launch.
Xbox Games Showcase had positive reception, but lacked specific release dates for many titles.
Xbox exec Matt Booty cites GTA 6 as a reason for holding off on dating upcoming games to avoid being overshadowed.

An Xbox executive reveals that the company plans to make way for Grand Theft Auto 6's 2025 launch when considering the release dates for the console manufacturer's upcoming first-party titles. Though Rockstar Games' next blockbuster hit is still more than a year away from release, anticipation for the game is still evidently high. After all, when even a major publishing juggernaut like Microsoft is working its way around Grand Theft Auto 6, there's little reason left to doubt that the upcoming open-world game will be a monumental release.

Microsoft just held its annual Xbox Games Showcase a few weeks ago, and reception to the presentation was incredibly positive across the board. Many great-looking Game Pass games were revealed at the showcase, including Playground Games' stunning Fable reboot, The Coalition's new Gears of War prequel, and id Software's medieval Doom game, among several others. If there was one criticism that some had about the presentation, though, it was the lack of release dates provided for most of the titles at the event. Games like Fable and South of Midnight were only given vague 2025 launch windows, while titles like Perfect Dark and State of Decay 3 didn't even have years attached to them at all. This was rather strange, considering how long many of these games have been in development.

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By John Bonelli

Xbox game content and studios president Matt Booty provided an explanation for the lack of release windows at the Xbox showcase in an interview with Variety during an episode of the outlet's "Strictly Business" podcast. To put it simply, Booty cited GTA 6 as a factor in Microsoft's refusal to pin a date on any of the company's upcoming Xbox games slated for 2025 and beyond. "I think many across the industry are of course going to plan around GTA 6, and we're all looking forward to that game, which should be amazing," said Booty.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Could Overshadow Most of the Games Releasing Around It

The Xbox executive then noted that his company needs to "keep options open" when it comes to launching games, as "everybody in the industry wants to make sure that [they] don't land in the shadow of someone else's big release." According to Booty, Microsoft is tasked with the challenge of ensuring that all of its first-party games are given both ample space and "an opportunity to shine." It's understandable, then, that the console manufacturer was hesitant in dating the releases it has scheduled for 2025 at the incredible Xbox Games Showcase, as Grand Theft Auto 6 will likely overshadow other titles launching around it.

Although Take-Two recently provided a fall 2025 release window for GTA, it's unknown when exactly Rockstar Games' next big title will launch. Judging from Matt Booty's statements, though, it's safe to say that upcoming Xbox first-party games like Fable and South of Midnight will not come out within close proximity of Grand Theft Auto 6's release, whenever that may be.

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Grand Theft Auto 6

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Released: November 19, 2026

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