In a poignant and compassionate move, Rockstar Games has granted a terminally ill fan the chance to play the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) months ahead of its official launch. The gesture came after a public appeal from a family member working in the games industry.
A Heartfelt Plea on LinkedIn
The story began in December when Anthony Armstrong, a developer at Ubisoft Toronto, posted a plea on LinkedIn directed at Rockstar. He explained that a close family member, a huge GTA fan, had been given a prognosis of '6-12 months to live' after battling cancer for years.
Armstrong wrote that, with the game's November release date, his relative might not live long enough to see it launch. He noted the fan lived 'only a stone's throw from the Oakville studio' in Canada and humbly asked if Rockstar could arrange an exclusive playtest, even offering to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
Rockstar's Swift and Compassionate Response
Rockstar, alongside its parent company Take-Two Interactive, acted swiftly. Armstrong later updated his post to confirm that Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick had reached out, and they were waiting to hear from the Rockstar team.
In a final, emotional update before the posts were deleted (likely due to Rockstar's security protocols), Armstrong shared: '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.' Screenshots of the exchange were preserved by social media accounts.
A Precedent of Compassion in Gaming
This is not the first time Rockstar has shown such humanity. In 2018, ahead of the launch of Red Dead Redemption 2, the company allowed a fan named Jurian in the Netherlands to play an early demo after learning of his terminal illness.
The fan's early access to GTA 6 does not confirm the game's final development status. Recent rumours from insiders have suggested a potential delay into 2027, citing the title was not yet 'content complete'. However, as with the Red Dead Redemption 2 example, it is highly probable the fan experienced a curated demo rather than the full, complete game.
Grand Theft Auto VI is currently scheduled for release on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, following several delays. This act of kindness underscores the profound connection between developers and their community, transcending the hype to honour a fan's final wish.
