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| Screenshot of Jason and Lucia, protagonists of GTA 6, holding hands. |
In a story cutting through the noise of corporate disputes and development delays, Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games appear to have orchestrated a profoundly personal gesture. Following a heartfelt request, the studio likely granted a terminally ill Grand Theft Auto fan the chance to play the highly anticipated GTA 6 ahead of its November release.
The moving chain of events began with a since-deleted LinkedIn post, captured in screenshots by the vigilant GTA 6 Countdown account on X (you can see the original post they archived here). The post was authored by Anthony Armstrong, a UI Integrator at Ubisoft Toronto, who reached out to his industry contacts at Rockstar Games.
Anthony’s request was specific and urgent: a family member, a massive fan of the GTA franchise living near Rockstar’s Oakville office, had received devastating news about a cancer diagnosis. Their wish was to potentially participate in a playtest of GTA 6 before their untimely passing.
The initial appeal was met with silence, but weeks later, Anthony shared a promising update. He revealed that the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, Strauss Zelnick, had personally reached out, and they were awaiting further communication from the company. The final update was brief but significant: "We got great news from the company." Anthony shared no specifics, leading to the widespread assumption that Rockstar arranged a private, confidential playtest under a strict Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
Rockstar Games accepted a terminally ill fan’s wish to play GTA 6 early after a family member publicly shared his story. pic.twitter.com/xIyBqMhRX7
— GTA 6 Countdown ⏳ (@GTAVI_Countdown) January 18, 2026
Naturally, this raises questions about the state of the game the fan potentially experienced. While recent rumors, like those addressed in a Bloomberg report on GTA 6 development timelines, have suggested the title wasn't "content complete," such claims are often magnified. The playtest build was almost certainly a curated, stable slice of the game, not a final product.
This act of goodwill arrives at a critical time for Rockstar. The studio is currently embroiled in a legal battle in the UK over the firing of several employees alleged to have leaked GTA 6 information. The employees have counterclaimed, accusing the company of union-busting tactics. If these allegations have clouded the studio's public image, this compassionate response to a fan in need serves as a powerful counter-narrative.
Notably, this isn't the first time Rockstar has performed such a kind act. As documented in a thread on PSNProfiles, the studio's Netherlands office once fulfilled a similar last wish for a sick gamer, providing early access to a Red Dead Redemption 2 demo. This precedent makes the latest story all the more believable.
While Rockstar maintains its characteristic silence on the matter, choosing not to publicize a private moment, the evidence and the company's own history point toward a touching conclusion. In an industry often defined by hype and controversy, this quiet act of humanity reminds us of the profound connection between creators and their fans. For one individual facing an unimaginable battle, the escape to the awaited streets of Leonida may have arrived just in time.