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Gamers are a patient bunch—but even the most loyal fan can lose their cool when a long-awaited game keeps getting delayed. The phrase “release postponed” carries the pain of the entire industry: technical issues, “we need more time for polishing,” sudden crises, pandemics, and more. Let’s look back at some famous examples of postponed releases—and see why, sometimes, waiting is actually worth it.
Cyberpunk 2077: “Ready When It’s Ready”
CD Projekt RED first announced Cyberpunk 2077 in 2012, but the world didn’t get to play it until December 2020. And even that came with drama. The game was supposed to launch in April 2020, then September, then November, and finally December.
Why the delay? The developers wanted to perfect it. Ironically, despite all those delays, the release was a disaster—especially on older consoles. Bugs, crashes, glitches—everything went wrong, and the game’s reputation tanked.
Over time, though, CD Projekt RED redeemed itself. Massive patches, fixes, and the Phantom Liberty expansion turned the game around. Today, Cyberpunk 2077 stands as a prime example of “redemption through updates.”
The Last of Us Part II: Perfection Takes Time
Naughty Dog also had to push back the release of The Last of Us Part II. Originally set for February 2020, it was delayed a few months and finally launched in June.
The reason was simple: the team wanted every detail—graphics, story, pacing—to be flawless. And they succeeded. The game became one of the most awarded and talked-about titles in PlayStation history. The delay, while frustrating, paid off beautifully.
Hogwarts Legacy: Magic Takes Time Too
Even the wizarding world wasn’t immune to delays. Hogwarts Legacy was first expected in 2021, then in 2022, and finally released in February 2023.
Avalanche Software explained that they needed more time to make the world of Hogwarts as immersive and detailed as possible. The result? A visually stunning and content-rich open-world experience.
Sometimes, a couple of extra years are worth it if it means avoiding a half-baked release.
Starfield: Waiting for a “Space Dream”
Bethesda’s Starfield promised to redefine the space adventure genre. Initially scheduled for November 2022, it was pushed back almost a year—to September 2023.
Todd Howard admitted that the delay was meant to avoid another Fallout 76 situation, which launched unfinished and drew heavy criticism. This time, the plan worked: Starfield may not be perfect, but it debuted in solid shape, free from major bugs and full of ambition.
A Legendary Case: Duke Nukem Forever
Here’s the true king of delays. Duke Nukem Forever was announced in 1997 and released… in 2011. Fourteen years later!
Engines changed, studios changed, publishers changed—but the game never came out. When it finally did, the world had moved on. Its humor and gameplay felt outdated. Still, it remains a legendary cautionary tale: endless “improvements” can kill even the most hyped project.
And Now, GTA 6 — The New Waiting Game
And here we are again, standing before another big one. Rockstar Games has officially confirmed that GTA 6 will not arrive in 2025 as fans expected, but on November 19, 2026.
Rockstar hasn’t shared exact reasons, but it’s not hard to guess: the game’s scope is massive. A brand-new engine, an incredibly detailed open world, advanced NPC AI, and online systems—all of that takes serious time.
Rockstar is known for its polish, and fans generally trust them to deliver something special. Sure, it’s disappointing, but better to wait a year than to end up patching a broken masterpiece later.
In the End: Waiting Isn’t Always Bad
Delays in gaming aren’t necessarily a tragedy—they often mean developers care about quality. Sure, it’s frustrating when a launch gets pushed back, but when the final result is something like The Last of Us Part II or Hogwarts Legacy, it’s clear the time was well spent.
And if everything goes according to plan, GTA 6 could become not just a game, but a cultural event of the decade. All we have to do is be patient—and remember that true game-making magic sometimes takes a little longer than we’d like.