Few things unite gamers like groaning at yet another 'release postponed' announcement for a game they had been waiting their whole life for.
Behind every delay lies a story—of perfectionism, chaos, or just plain bad luck. Here are seven games that took the scenic route to release:
Grand Theft Auto VI
One of the most anticipated games in modern times and the subject of 'we got ... before GTA 6' memes, Rockstar Games' GTA 6 has not yet been released even a decade after GTA 5.
We want to thank you again for your patience and support. While the wait is a little longer, we are incredibly excited for players to experience the sprawling state of Leonida and a return to modern day Vice City.
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) November 6, 2025
Sincerely,
Rockstar Games
Originally supposed to release in 2025, its release date was pushed to May 26, 2026 because Rockstar wanted the game to be perfect, after which it was recently pushed again to November 19, 2026.
Cyberpunk 2077
Touted as a grand RPG release that would change gaming forever in 2012, it was delayed thrice before its 2020 debut. Its launch was also a bug-bitten disaster that forced Sony to pull it off the PlayStation Store.
It was only after the makers (CD Projekt Red) brought in massive patches and the acclaimed Phantom Liberty DLC that the game is revered as it is now.
The Last of Us Part II
Sony-owned Naughty Dog delayed the game twice—first, to perfect the game, and then again because it claimed that COVID-19 had led to "logistics issues".
When it finally released in 2020 after a number of spoilers surfaced, it split opinions down the middle but still won awards for its visuals, performances, and brutal realism.
Hogwarts Legacy
Fans eager to get a taste of an open-wizarding-world adventure were miffed when the 2020-announced game was postponed from 2021 to late-2022.
The game finally arrived in 2023 because Warner Bros wanted to “ensure the best possible experience”.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Coming eight years after 'Red Dead Redemption' released in 2010, 'Red Dead Redemption 2' had a 2017 release date that was delayed because Rockstar Games wanted to perfect the sprawling Western with big boots to fill.
The result? A cinematic masterpiece hailed for its gameplay, realism, world, narrative, and insane attention to detail. Also, GTA 6 fans often recall the success of this game to assure themselves that the wait will be worth it.
Skull and Bones
Ubisoft’s pirate adventure has been in development hell since 2017, delayed six times and counting.
Inspired by 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag', developers worked to fix hundreds of its design issues behind the scenes, after which it finally set sail in 2024.
Dead Island 2
This zombie hack-and-slash RPG is another fantastic example of a game that went through development hell.
Originally slated for a 2015 release, the game's release got delayed to 2016, was still in development by 2019, and finally came out in 2023, after "horrific" gamer feedback and switching studios twice, managing to keep the franchise alive.
