GTA 6 developers grant dying fan's final wish to play the game early

In a heartwarming development, Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive have reportedly granted a terminally ill fan early access to Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6). This move allows the fan to play one of the most highly anticipated releases scheduled for 2026.

The news was first brought to light through LinkedIn posts by Anthony Armstrong, a User Interface Integrator at Ubisoft. Armstrong initially reached out to his network, seeking contacts within Rockstar Games to help fulfill this final wish for a family member who is battling cancer.

“A member of my family who has been battling cancer for years just recently got the worst possible news,” Armstrong wrote, noting the relative had been given 6-12 months to live. “With this latest update, he may not be around long enough to actually get to see GTA 6 launch.”

Rockstar has scheduled the game for release on November 19, 2026. Armstrong hoped that the company might arrange a private playtest because the family member lived near Rockstar’s Oakville studio, acknowledging that they would require an NDA.

The community came together in support of the request, and Armstrong later updated the post with positive news. He wrote, “Final update: We spoke to them today and received great news. That’s all I can really share.” Armstrong also confirmed that Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, personally contacted him regarding the situation.

After the media coverage, Armstrong deleted the original posts and issued a follow-up statement asking for privacy. He clarified that he had not given permission for news outlets to link to his profile and requested that the public respect his family’s privacy during this challenging time. “Although the news was wonderful, this is still a very difficult time for us, which we had not intended to make public,” Armstrong expressed.