From GTA 6 to Ghost of Yourtai: 10 Game Delays You Should Expect

Delayed Again?! – Upcoming Video Games That Are Getting Pushed Back (And Why We Kinda Get It)

We love video games. We live them, breathe them, dream about them—and sometimes even rage about them. But if there’s one thing that keeps breaking our hearts again and again (besides enemy AI that’s way too smart), it’s delays.

Look, we get it. Game development is hard. REALLY hard. Even for the AAA giants with studios bigger than small towns. So while we’re over here waiting to finally play the next big thing, devs are busy dealing with engines that explode, features that don’t work, and crunch that nobody wants to talk about.

So here it is: the painful list of 10 upcoming games that are (probably) getting delayed—and the juicy reasons why.

1. Ghost of Tsushima Sequel – Ghost of Yōtei

We were all riding high after the reveal of Ghost of Yōtei, the long-awaited sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, one of the most beloved open-world samurai games of the last decade. Originally teased for a 2025 release, Sony dropped the announcement at the end of 2024 with cinematic flair and just enough detail to get fans frothing at the mouth. But now? Let’s be real—2026 looks way more likely.

The biggest reason? Competition. Ubisoft is finally releasing Assassin’s Creed: Shadows—a feudal Japan-themed entry fans have been begging for since the Ezio days. That game is dropping in March 2025, and there’s just no way Sony wants to launch another big-budget samurai epic in that same window.

Despite Ubisoft’s optimism that both games can coexist, Sony’s track record suggests they’ll prioritize polish and strategic timing over risk. Plus, with Ghost of Yōtei only being officially revealed recently, there’s plenty of breathing room to push it into the next year without facing backlash.

And let’s be honest: we’d all rather have a fully baked samurai masterpiece in 2026 than a rushed, half-finished one in 2025. So yeah—sharpen your blades and your patience. You’ll need both.

2. Dying Light: The Beast

Dying Light: The Beast began life as a DLC pack for Dying Light 2: Stay Human but quickly evolved into a standalone spin-off thanks to its narrative and gameplay ambitions. Techland announced the game at Gamescom 2023 with a projected release window of Q2–Q3 2025—but if you know anything about Techland’s history, you know to take that with a grain of salt.

Let’s rewind: the original Dying Light was delayed from 2014 to early 2015. Its sequel was delayed multiple times, slipping from its original early 2020 release all the way to February 2022. So yeah, punctuality hasn’t exactly been Techland’s strong suit.

Even though The Beast is supposed to be a smaller, more focused project, the studio has already shown a pattern of preferring polish over speed. There’s also the challenge of maintaining the same gameplay fluidity and tight combat that the series is known for, even in a scaled-down format.

Given all that, it wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest if The Beast roared into late 2025—or even 2026. And honestly? That might be a good thing. Better late and deadly than buggy and broken.

3. Little Nightmares 3

When Little Nightmares 3 was announced in 2023, fans of creepy platformers everywhere were shocked—and hyped. Why? Because the series was believed to be done after Little Nightmares 2, especially after original developer Tarsier Studios confirmed they were moving on to new projects. But thanks to Bandai Namco holding the rights, and Supermassive Games stepping in to take the reins, the franchise lives on.

Originally scheduled for a 2024 release, the game was quietly delayed to 2025 in mid-2023. And since then? Radio silence. No major updates. No gameplay reveals. No reassuring tweets to let us know things are chugging along.

This silence has led to growing fan concern that the game might get delayed again—or worse, quietly cancelled. While there’s no concrete evidence to suggest cancellation, the current lack of marketing and updates strongly suggests a 2026 delay is very much in the cards.

On the upside, fans of the franchise are used to waiting—there was a four-year gap between Little Nightmares 1 and 2. So while it’s frustrating, a polished and terrifying third installment could be worth the extra wait… assuming it doesn’t vanish into the fog entirely.

4. Fairgame$

Remember Fairgame$? It was revealed during Sony’s May 2023 PlayStation Showcase with a slick, stylish CGI trailer hyping it as a competitive multiplayer heist game. Think Watch Dogs meets Payday, but with more neon. People were intrigued—until they realized Sony hadn’t shown a single second of gameplay.

Now, almost two years later, Fairgame$ is nowhere to be seen. And despite internal buzz that the game is testing well, reports from insiders like Jeff Grubb suggest the title is being delayed into 2026. While Sony hasn’t officially confirmed the delay, all signs point to Fairgame$ being quietly pushed back.

One possible reason? The poor reception to Sony’s other live-service game, Concord. With live-service fatigue at an all-time high, Sony’s likely holding Fairgame$ in the wings until they can be absolutely sure it won’t flop on arrival.

Even with industry veteran Jade Raymond at the helm, launching a multiplayer live-service game right now is risky business. Building a player base from scratch in today’s crowded market takes more than flashy trailers—it takes a community, and that’s a tall order.

At this point, we’ll believe Fairgame$ is real when we’re actually robbing banks in it.

5. Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra

On paper, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra should be a slam dunk. It’s a narrative-driven superhero game penned by Uncharted director Amy Hennig, starring Captain America and Black Panther fighting Hydra during World War II. The reveal trailer had mood, cinematic flair, and loads of potential. The problem? We’ve seen none of the gameplay.

Despite being revealed in early 2023 with a 2025 release window, we’re already a quarter into the year and there’s been barely a whisper about progress. And when it comes to superhero games, studios are being extra cautious. Why? Because a lot of recent ones flopped—Marvel's Avengers, Suicide Squad, Midnight Suns—all big names, all commercial underperformers.

That’s why it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Marvel 1943 quietly slipped to 2026. SkyDance and Marvel are likely trying to avoid launching a half-baked game in an increasingly skeptical market. After all, Amy Hennig’s name carries weight, and the narrative potential is huge—but none of that will matter if the final product isn’t polished to a shine.

With superhero fatigue setting in and player expectations sky-high, delaying Rise of Hydra might be the smartest move they can make.

6. Skate Story

A skateboarding demon made of glass and pain, on a surreal quest to skate to the moon and eat it to free himself from the devil? Yeah, that’s a real game—and it’s called Skate Story. And while that sentence alone could sell a million copies, unfortunately, you’ll have to wait longer to play it.

Skate Story was first announced in 2022 with an eye-catching trailer and a unique, ethereal aesthetic that immediately had indie fans buzzing. Originally targeting a 2023 release, it was delayed to 2024… and then again to 2025. And you guessed it—2026 is starting to look like a more realistic drop.

But here’s the catch: Skate Story is being developed by a solo developer, Sam Eng. So yeah, delays are understandable. This isn’t some massive studio with hundreds of devs; it’s one dude pouring every ounce of creativity into something totally different.

And honestly? That’s what makes it so exciting. If Skate Story sticks the landing (pun fully intended), it could end up being a genre-defining experience. So let him take the time he needs—we’ll just be over here doing metaphorical kickflips of hype until it drops.

7. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

If this game had a blood type, it would be AB-delay-positive. Seriously—Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has been delayed so many times, it’s practically a meme at this point.

Originally unveiled in 2019 with a 2020 release date, it’s been through a rollercoaster of postponements: 2021, 2022, 2024… and now, tentatively, the first half of 2025. But if you think that’s gonna happen? Please tell me what kind of optimistic blood you’re drinking.

This game has had one of the most dramatic development sagas in recent gaming history. The original dev studio, Hardsuit Labs, was removed in 2021, and all their work was scrapped. Since then, UK-based studio The Chinese Room (creators of Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture) took over, rebuilding the game from the ground up.

We still haven’t seen consistent gameplay, and we’re almost halfway through 2025. So yeah, 2026 is looking very likely at this point.

The original Bloodlines is a cult classic, so hopes are high—but expectations are cautious. Vampires live forever, right? So what’s one more year of waiting in the crypt?

8. Crimson Desert

Crimson Desert has had so many delays, it’s basically the Final Fantasy XV of action RPGs at this point. Born as a prequel to Black Desert Online, it’s now a standalone single-player open-world adventure set in the same universe. The visuals? Stunning. The hype? Real. The release date? Uhhh… not so real.

It was originally revealed in 2019 for a 2021 release, but Pearl Abyss delayed it indefinitely. The studio went completely radio silent for two years before reappearing in 2023 with a new gameplay trailer. That should’ve been good news… except they quietly pushed the release back again, this time to late 2025.

But here’s the thing: Crimson Desert is a technical behemoth. Pearl Abyss is aiming for top-tier visuals, deep systems, and a vast world—and that stuff takes time. Plus, with GTA 6 looming large in the same release window, any game that values survival should seriously consider stepping aside.

If the devs are smart (and they are), they’ll hold back and launch in early 2026, long after the Grand Theft hype train has blown through.

It’s been a long wait already… what’s another few months if it means an unforgettable fantasy adventure?

9. Grand Theft Auto 6

Alright, let’s talk about the elephant-sized jet-ski in the room: Grand Theft Auto 6. Announced in December 2023 with a cinematic trailer that shattered the internet, Rockstar set a very loose target of late 2025. But… come on. It’s Rockstar. You know what’s coming.

This is the studio that delayed Red Dead Redemption 2 for nearly two years to avoid crunch and deliver one of the most polished games ever made. That same perfectionism is absolutely going to apply to GTA 6—and with the pressure to top both RDR2 and GTA V? You bet they’re gonna take their time.

Insiders like Jason Schreier have already hinted that 2026 is a likely outcome, especially if the studio wants to avoid brutal internal crunch like they experienced in past projects. Plus, Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two, has shareholders breathing down their necks—so of course they’re clinging to that 2025 date until the last second.

Will it be worth the wait? Almost certainly. Will we still complain the whole time? Absolutely. But deep down we all know: GTA 6 in 2026 is better than a rushed mess in 2025.

10. Mafia: The Old Country

Mafia: The Old Country was officially revealed at Gamescom 2024, confirming long-standing rumors about a new entry in the classic crime series. Slated for a Q3 2025 release, the game promises an open-world, mob-filled prequel with gritty narrative beats and stylish vintage action. And it sounds fantastic—on paper.

But here’s the kicker: GTA 6.

Both Mafia and GTA are published under Take-Two Interactive. And no company in their right mind would put two similar open-world titles on the same calendar. That’s like inviting Batman and Superman to a dinner party and seating them next to each other—somebody’s leaving with a black eye.

If GTA 6 slides to 2026, Mafia might launch earlier in 2025. But if Rockstar sticks with late 2025? Expect Mafia to get bumped to late 2026 to avoid being crushed under the GTA hype train.

Plus, with open-world development being notoriously time-consuming, and Mafia being a narrative-heavy game, the odds of this release holding steady feel shaky at best. No one wants another Mafia III situation.

So, grab your fedora and holster your Tommy gun—we might be waiting a bit longer to return to the old country.

We're Mad, But We Get It

Delays suck. But broken, half-baked releases suck way more. And if the past few years have taught us anything (Cyberpunk 2077 flashbacks intensify), it's that we'd rather wait a little longer than get a glitchy mess on launch day.

So to all the devs out there: take your time, do it right, and we’ll (probably) forgive you.

Until then, we’ll just be here… staring longingly at our 2025 wishlist, silently shifting those titles into 2026.

Stay patient and power-up your hype responsibly with Land of Geek Magazine!

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