Grand Theft Auto is not just a gaming franchise, but a series that has fond memories of millions of players. However, GTA VI has been delayed several times, and fans have been waiting for the game for over a decade. Now, it appears that Rockstar Games may be granting early access to its upcoming title to a terminally ill fan who may not have time to wait until its official release.

Game developer urges Rockstar Games to let terminally ill fans play GTA VI

The story began on LinkedIn when Anthony Armstrong, a developer at Ubisoft Toronto, shared a family member’s battle with cancer. Armstrong said the man was a big fan of GTA, but due to his medical condition he had less than a year to live. The post has since been removed.

Armstrong urged Rockstar Games and its Oakville studio to make some kind of special arrangement that would allow his relative to play GTA VI, as he would not be able to play it until the game’s official release. He wrote, “He currently lives only a short walk from Oakville Studios, so I’m hoping one of you might be able to set up a special playtest so he can get a chance to experience the game before he passes.”

Rockstar has reached out to offer early access to GTA VI

Anthony Armstrong acknowledged the confidential nature of the game’s development and agreed to sign any required non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). Soon after, Armstrong shared an update about his communications with Rockstar, revealing that Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two, the company that owns the gaming studio, had also contacted him.

Armstrong’s final message provided a promising conclusion. The Ubisoft employee was grateful to Rockstar, but made it clear that he could not provide any specific information. He wrote, “Last update: We spoke to him today and got very good news. That’s all I can say, but thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

All posts on LinkedIn related to Anthony Armstrong’s GTA VI request have been removed. Although we don’t know the reason behind the removal of these posts, it could be part of a settlement with Rockstar.

Although neither Rockstar nor Take-Two have released any official statement, this situation is not without precedent. In 2018, Rockstar honored a similar wish by allowing a terminally ill fan to play Red Dead Redemption 2 before its release. Other studios, including Bethesda Game Studios, have also found ways to respect fans in comparable situations.

The launch of GTA VI has been delayed several times. The next GTA title is now scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026.