Rockstar Games has reportedly contacted a terminally ill Grand Theft Auto fan after a public appeal asked whether he could experience Grand Theft Auto VI ahead of its scheduled November 2026 release. The request came from Anthony Armstrong, a developer at Ubisoft Toronto, who posted on LinkedIn on behalf of a close family member, according to Insider Gaming.
In the now-deleted post, Armstrong wrote that his relative had “been battling cancer for years” and had recently received a prognosis of “6–12 months to live.” He described the family member as “a huge GTA fan” and said the timing of GTA VI’s November 19 launch meant he might not live to see the game release, adding that “best case scenario [he] will be leaving us the same month it does.”
Armstrong explained that his family member lives close to Rockstar’s Oakville studio and asked whether the company could arrange a tightly controlled early experience. “It’s my hope that one of you may be able to set up an exclusive playtest, so he can have a chance to experience the game before passing,” he wrote. He also acknowledged Rockstar’s security concerns, stating, “I absolutely understand the need for secrecy at this point of development, so at the very least an NDA is probably needed.”
The post gained traction within industry circles and, in later updates, Armstrong confirmed that the message reached Rockstar and its parent company. He stated that the family had received what he described as “great news,” without sharing further details. While Armstrong did not specify what Rockstar offered — whether a hands-on gameplay, a private preview or another form of access — he confirmed that the studio made direct contact.
Rockstar has not issued a public comment, consistent with its strict approach to confidentiality, particularly around GTA VI. Still, this is not without precedent. In 2018, Rockstar Games allowed a terminally ill fan to play Red Dead Redemption 2 ahead of launch. More recently, Gearbox invited terminally ill Borderlands fan Caleb McAlpine to its studio for an early look at Borderlands 4.
Grand Theft Auto VI remains scheduled for release on November 19 following multiple delays. Take-Two Interactive has said it expects the game to arrive as a more polished experience, making it one of the most anticipated gaming releases of the decade. Added to that, this moment brings a rare human dimension to one of the most closely guarded launches in modern gaming.
Words by Khushboo Malhotra
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