Rockstar Games has reportedly allowed a terminally ill fan to play GTA 6 before its official release later this year, in a moment that has resonated with the gaming community.
A now-deleted LinkedIn post from Ubisoft developer Anthony Armstrong explained his family member had been diagnosed with cancer and “given 6-12 months to live.” In that appeal, Armstrong wrote “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,” before expressing hope they could “have a chance to experience the game, before passing.”
Rockstar’s response appears to have been positive. Armstrong later posted an update saying “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.” This suggests the studio may have arranged early access ahead of GTA 6’s scheduled 19 November 2026 launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
For the wider audience, details remain sparse. It is unclear how much of the game the fan can play, given that the full release is still many months away and development builds are usually not representative of the final product.
This gesture follows a similar instance in 2018 when Rockstar let a dying fan play Red Dead Redemption 2 before launch, reinforcing the perception that the studio can be responsive to extraordinary personal circumstances.
While official confirmation from Rockstar or Take-Two Interactive is absent, the story highlights how gaming companies sometimes balance strict release secrecy with compassion when individuals face serious health challenges.
Author: Kieran Seymour