Rockstar Games has provided early access to its upcoming title, Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI), to a terminally ill fan. The facilitation followed a public appeal made on LinkedIn by Anthony Armstrong, a family member and developer at Ubisoft Toronto, citing the fan's health prognosis and the game's scheduled release date.
Origin of the Request
In late 2025, Anthony Armstrong posted on LinkedIn seeking assistance for a family member diagnosed with terminal cancer, with a prognosis of 6-12 months to live. Armstrong stated that the individual was an avid fan of the Grand Theft Auto series and expressed concern that they might not survive until GTA VI's official launch. The post noted that the fan resided near Rockstar's Oakville studio in Canada. Armstrong offered to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to address secrecy concerns regarding the unreleased game.
Response and Resolution
Armstrong's appeal gained visibility, reportedly reaching the leadership of Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games' parent company. According to Armstrong, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick made contact, leading to subsequent discussions with the Rockstar development team.
Armstrong later provided an update, stating, "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." These LinkedIn posts were subsequently removed, which is consistent with the requirements of non-disclosure agreements typically associated with early access to confidential game content. Rockstar Games has not issued an official public statement regarding the matter.
Grand Theft Auto VI Release and Precedent
Grand Theft Auto VI, a highly anticipated title, was initially planned for a May 2026 release. Take-Two Interactive later announced a delay, rescheduling the launch to November 19, 2026. This postponement was cited by Take-Two as necessary to allow for additional development time and polish.
This event marks another instance of a video game studio providing early access to unreleased content under exceptional circumstances. Rockstar Games previously allowed a fan to play Red Dead Redemption 2 before its 2018 debut. Other studios, such as Gearbox Software, have also made similar exceptions for terminally ill fans.