GTA 6 vs. Zelda: Why Nintendo has nothing to fear from Rockstar

When GTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026, the gaming world will likely be focused almost entirely on Rockstar's new open-world blockbuster for a while. It's understandable that other publishers would want to stay as far away from the highly anticipated title as possible. Nintendo, however, doesn't seem particularly concerned. The remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is scheduled to launch on November 5 – just two weeks before Grand Theft Auto VI.

Aakash Gupta, who previously worked on Fortnite at Epic Games, among other projects, believes Nintendo is making the right move. On X, he compares release scheduling in the gaming industry to driving on a highway: When the biggest truck changes lanes, everyone else gets out of the way. Nintendo, however, stubbornly stays its course.

According to Gupta, Nintendo has good reasons not to let Rockstar's release disrupt its plans. GTA 6 is initially launching only on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, while Zelda is exclusive to Nintendo's Switch 2 (currently $625 on Amazon). This means the two games aren't competing on the same platforms, at least. Zelda also has two weeks to generate as many sales as possible before Rockstar takes center stage. Perhaps the most important factor, however, is Nintendo's loyal fan base. According to Gupta, practically no other publisher could afford to launch a major title so close to GTA 6.

Reddit is divided

As is often the case, opinions on Reddit are divided. Many users don't understand the idea of a rivalry in the first place. After all, the two games are launching on different consoles and appeal to different tastes. Anyone looking forward to a trip to Hyrule is unlikely to cancel their plans just because Vice City opens its doors two weeks later.

Other users can certainly imagine some degree of competition. After all, major games have become expensive – and not everyone can afford to buy two full-priced titles within two weeks. On top of that, both GTA 6 and Zelda are likely to demand a considerable amount of playtime. Even those with enough money may simply lack the time to play both games. How the approaching GTA 6 release will affect sales of the Zelda remake should become clear by November at the latest. However, current pre-order sales figures already suggest that Nintendo may have made the right decision.