At least one analyst has connected the dots to Sony’s latest financial report and the delay of “one of the biggest games of all time.”
As we reported at the start of the month, Rockstar made the sudden announcement that they were delaying Grand Theft Auto 6 to May 2026. This release was expected to be so big that some analysts were projecting it could launch a new boom in games, reversing the ongoing trend that’s led to three years of layoffs across the industry. And so, this report had a substantial effect to the industry, especially for the year.
This delay was not necessarily bad for everyone in gaming. Dr. Serkan Toto shared his opinion that the delay would allow Nintendo to make 2025 their year, with the launch of the Switch 2 and the many titles coming with it, including Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. Subsequently, there were rumors circulating that a lot of game studios were delaying their games for Grand Theft Auto 6. And so, many of those games may now be moving forward for this year.
And then, there’s Sony. DFC Intelligence CEO David Cole shared this statement to Bloomberg in their report about Sony’s financials:
The delay in GTA VI is a real blow to the PS5. This was supposed to be the product that got many consumers to get off the PS4 and on to a PS5.
Grand Theft Auto 6 will still be launching for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with no version announced for PC, and for that matter, the Switch 2. When you compare the console companies, Sony is particularly vulnerable as a result of this delay.
While Nintendo has a new console launch coming, Microsoft has a loaded software lineup for this year, including the looming launch of potential GOTY contender Doom: The Dark Ages. Sony does have The Ghost of Yōtei and Marathon officially announced, and has a lot of third-party games, including Microsoft’s own games, coming to the platform as well.
But as David Cole argues, Sony’s position is not unassailable, and there is an angle where this delay can harm Sony. While it’s unlikely that PlayStation 4 owners will switch to Xbox Series X|S, there is a number of those gamers who may be open to Game Pass instead of buying a PlayStation 5.
Subsequently, the Switch 2 seems to have the potential to be a real direct competitor to the PlayStation 5, as its 3rd party lineup is confounding and confusing gamers and analysts who expected less. There may still be Sony loyalists who will hold out, but now, they may hold out for the PlayStation 6, and pass on the PlayStation 5 completely. And of course, there are the few Rockstar fans willing to completely wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 to come to PC.
Rockstar may still see huge success for themselves when Grand Theft Auto 6 finally releases next year, but Sony may have benefited if the game was ready this year, as they themselves admit the challenges they are facing from tariffs. Unfortunately for Sony, they don’t have a lot of options to fix the situation.
