Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto V finally has an official release date, and it's not quite what we were expecting.

After months of touting a nebulous "spring" release period, which seemed to all but confirm a date in the publisher's now traditional release month of May, Rockstar today announced that GTA V will instead be hitting retail shelves on September 17.

In a commiserative post on its official website, Rockstar officials chalked the new release date up to additional development required on the game.

Dear all,

Today, we have an official release date to share with you: Grand Theft Auto V will arrive in stores on September 17, 2013.

We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you, but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time. GTAV is a massively ambitious and complex game and it simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require.

To all Grand Theft Auto fans, please accept our apologies for the delay, and our promise that the entire team here is working very hard to make the game all it can be. We are doing all we can to help ensure it will meet if not exceed your expectations come September – we thank you for your support and patience.

Yours,
The GTA Team

So, hey, we're not getting a May release, but we have an official, locked-in date (which could still slip at some point, but also shut up.) No new trailers or screenshots were released to sate the unwashed masses of the Internet, so you'll just have to settle for the media we already have posted. Sorry about that.

Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto V finally has an official release date, and it's not quite what we were expecting.

After months of touting a nebulous "spring" release period, which seemed to all but confirm a date in the publisher's now traditional release month of May, Rockstar today announced that GTA V will instead be hitting retail shelves on September 17.

In a commiserative post on its official website, Rockstar officials chalked the new release date up to additional development required on the game.

Dear all,

Today, we have an official release date to share with you: Grand Theft Auto V will arrive in stores on September 17, 2013.

We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you, but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time. GTAV is a massively ambitious and complex game and it simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require.

To all Grand Theft Auto fans, please accept our apologies for the delay, and our promise that the entire team here is working very hard to make the game all it can be. We are doing all we can to help ensure it will meet if not exceed your expectations come September – we thank you for your support and patience.

Yours,
The GTA Team

So, hey, we're not getting a May release, but we have an official, locked-in date (which could still slip at some point, but also shut up.) No new trailers or screenshots were released to sate the unwashed masses of the Internet, so you'll just have to settle for the media we already have posted. Sorry about that.

NOOOOO!!!!!

Well at least the first quarter is a little less cluttered for me.

totally expected, the genre advanced so much after gta 4, so theres a huge onus on them to nail it.

I'm entirely fine with it. Couldn't afford this in May anyway.

@Bones8677 said:

NOOOOO!

@mrfluke: yep. :)

Steam backlog.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I wish they'd tacked something like "oh, and it's coming to PC this September now, too" onto the end of that statement...

I'm almost happy when they delay my favourite game series.. it just feels like they're serious about getting it right.

@mrfluke,@Bones8677: http://vadercoaster.ytmnd.com/

Its nice to know it will not ruin my exam period.

I wish they'd tacked something like "oh, and it's coming to PC this September now, too" onto the end of that statement...

NOOOOO CRAP!!!! 
 
That will allow me to get rid of most of my backlog. I stopped buying games until it is gone.

New consoles can't be coming out this year. Rockstar must know something we don't...

I don't see why they'd release such a high-profile title so close to new hardware. Either Durango/PS4 are going to be Backwards Compatible [doubt it, especially in Sony's case] or the hardware won't be out until Q1 2014. Take-Two and Rockstar bank on these titles for maximum sales, and if anything this seems like it's only going to hurt them.

I'll still get it because I love GTA, regardless. Just seems odd.

that seems super late considering next gen consoles are on our door step.

That means the 360 and PS3 version will probably be kind of a mess and they'll have something for next gen

Looks like I will have to find something else to play in May.

Well, at least there's The Last of Us to look forward to in May.

@ottoman673: Why would you doubt the next Xbox would be backwards compatible? It's essentially a PC. The PS3 on the other hand has a completely different architecture.

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

If it makes the game better, sure, take all the time you need.

One less major game early in the year is fine by me.

@mrfluke: can't believe i saw the whole thing

@Temg99 said:

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

It's not like people would have forgotten a GTA game by then. They really don't need to pull those kinds of stunts and it's not like GOTY awards from random websites pay their bills.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaan.

@DeF said:

@Temg99 said:

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

It's not like people would have forgotten a GTA game by then. They really don't need to pull those kinds of stunts and it's not like GOTY awards from random websites pay their bills.

People (Brad), completely forgot about Diablo 3 last year and it has a similar hype and publicity train behind it.

This is great news. I still have to finish Sleeping Dogs and I never even got to Saints Row The Third. Speaking of which, SR3: The Full Package is $21.99 at Newegg right now. I should probably pick that up.

Sure, ok, I guess.

@xyzygy: Because even the 360 wasn't fully backwards compatible - there were a lot of notable exclusions on the list. They initially promised Backwards Compatibility updates but those stopped in November 2007... 478 games are backwards compatible, which is only 51% of the total Xbox catalog.

And suddenly, we got an advent of repacked "HD Collection" titles that have all sold somewhat well, considering they're still with the time and money to upres and press to disc.

@LegendaryChopChop said:

@DeF said:

@Temg99 said:

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

It's not like people would have forgotten a GTA game by then. They really don't need to pull those kinds of stunts and it's not like GOTY awards from random websites pay their bills.

People (Brad), completely forgot about Diablo 3 last year and it has a similar hype and publicity train behind it.

Sure but GTA is just on another level when it comes to mainstream hype. People (Brad) forgetting about Diablo III was probably more the game's fault than its release date.

@DjDonFrancisco said:

This is great news. I still have to finish Sleeping Dogs and I never even got to Saints Row The Third. Speaking of which, SR3: The Full Package is $21.99 at Newegg right now. I should probably pick that up.

Same over here, I'm kind of happy in a way. I'm kind of ashamed I haven't yet played SD or SR3. With this news seems like I'll have a whole summer free to get my shit together. Oh and Rockstar get your shit together and make a PC version.

Hmmm, I wonder if this means that the new consoles are little farther off then we're anticipating. Is Spring 2014 a better bet as to when we'll see the next Xbox or PlayStation?

@Temg99 said:

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

I think it's more likely that they are taking advantage of an empty quarter right before new consoles are put out. GTA games have never had a problem of being overlooked at goty time

Pfft might as well put it out on the next gen consoles then and a day one pc version would be nice too.

@LegendaryChopChop: people forgot about diablo 3 because that game was hot ass.

@DeF said:

@LegendaryChopChop said:

@DeF said:

@Temg99 said:

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

It's not like people would have forgotten a GTA game by then. They really don't need to pull those kinds of stunts and it's not like GOTY awards from random websites pay their bills.

People (Brad), completely forgot about Diablo 3 last year and it has a similar hype and publicity train behind it.

Sure but GTA is just on another level when it comes to mainstream hype. People (Brad) forgetting about Diablo III was probably more the game's fault than its release date.

Yeah, cause all those websites forgot about ME2 for GoTY when it came out in january...

Dude. Okay. Fuck.

what ever man

@DeF said:

@Temg99 said:

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

It's not like people would have forgotten a GTA game by then. They really don't need to pull those kinds of stunts and it's not like GOTY awards from random websites pay their bills.

It's rockstar. They will butter up the gaming press real good.

@LegendaryChopChop said:

@DeF said:

@Temg99 said:

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

It's not like people would have forgotten a GTA game by then. They really don't need to pull those kinds of stunts and it's not like GOTY awards from random websites pay their bills.

People (Brad), completely forgot about Diablo 3 last year and it has a similar hype and publicity train behind it.

What makes you think he forgot it, rather than he just liked 10 other games more? A five star review doesn't guarantee it end of the year consideration, especially when he had a bunch of 5 star games in his list already. It's about the games that stuck with him as being overly special or memorable, not it's review score. D3 was a great game, but there were plenty of great games last year

GTA deserves all the extra time they need. I just wonder what this means for potential next-gen versions of GTA V..

September means PC Release?

Is this the first big game slated for Q4 of this year? I expecting to see a bunch of next gen launch titles announced at E3.

i am hoping this means there will be less of a gap between this and the inevitable pc release, rockstar did right by the pc version of max payne 3 and i hope they can do right again with gta v

@ottoman673: Why would you doubt the next Xbox would be backwards compatible? It's essentially a PC. The PS3 on the other hand has a completely different architecture.

@MildMolasses said:

@LegendaryChopChop said:

@DeF said:

@Temg99 said:

I see this as lining up for more GOTY nominations. Much easier to remember a game from September than May. The shine has not worn off yet for that.

It's not like people would have forgotten a GTA game by then. They really don't need to pull those kinds of stunts and it's not like GOTY awards from random websites pay their bills.

People (Brad), completely forgot about Diablo 3 last year and it has a similar hype and publicity train behind it.

What makes you think he forgot it, rather than he just liked 10 other games more? A five star review doesn't guarantee it end of the year consideration, especially when he had a bunch of 5 star games in his list already. It's about the games that stuck with him as being overly special or memorable, not it's review score. D3 was a great game, but there were plenty of great games last year

I enjoyed Diablo 3 when it came out, then I quickly forgot it even existed a few months after that.

Hmm this sucks

But if it means we get a smoother game and not a rush-job then it also is a good thing. GTAV must not be rushed!!!

Please tell me that its day and date PC and console? Otherwise..... I'm going to be sad :'(