'Thank you all': Terminally ill fan granted early access to GTA 6 before 2026 launch

A devoted fan of the Grand Theft Auto series has reportedly been granted early access to GTA 6, nearly a year before its official release, after a heartfelt appeal from a family member.

The game, which has been eagerly awaited by millions worldwide, is now set to launch on 19 November 2026, after multiple delays pushed back its original 2025 release date.

Anthony Armstrong, a developer at Ubisoft, turned to Rockstar Games to help fulfill his family member’s wish. The fan, a lifelong GTA enthusiast, was given a terminal diagnosis with just six to 12 months to live. Armstrong’s plea sought to give him a chance to experience the next installment in the series before his passing.

In a LinkedIn post in December, Armstrong explained:

“The reason I am reaching out is that they are a huge GTA fan and, with this latest update, he may not be around long enough to actually get to see GTA 6 launch. Best case scenario, he will be leaving us the same month it does… It’s my hope that one of you may be able to set up an exclusive playtest, so he can have a chance to experience the game before passing.”

Several weeks later, he shared an update:

“We spoke to them today and got great news. That’s all I can really say, but thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

The story comes in the wake of GTA 6’s first official trailer, released in December 2023 following earlier leaks online. Scenes from the trailer, featuring Rockstar’s signature open-world action, have already fueled excitement across the gaming community.

Rockstar Games has a history of accommodating terminally ill fans. In 2018, a man suffering from neurofibromatosis type 2 was allowed to play Red Dead Redemption 2 weeks ahead of its public launch after his father contacted the studio. Rockstar employees personally brought a private demo to his home, allowing him to experience the game in its entirety.