Take-Two stock jumps 10% on GTA 6 rumors

Take-Two Interactive shares rose into the close on Friday, May 15, as investor attention shifted from the company’s upcoming earnings report to unconfirmed Grand Theft Auto VI preorder rumors. Yahoo Finance data showed the stock finished at $242.44, up 9.47% over the prior five trading days, after gaming outlets circulated screenshots of an alleged Best Buy affiliate email tied to the Rockstar title. Insider Gaming reported on May 14 that it had received the email and could “independently verify” it was real, though neither Rockstar Games nor Take-Two had publicly confirmed any preorder date. Rockstar’s official site still lists Grand Theft Auto VI for release on Thursday, November 19, 2026. ### What exactly set off the latest round of GTA VI speculation? Best Buy affiliate emails were the immediate trigger. Insider Gaming reported that affiliates received a message referring to a “GTA 6 Pre Order (Physical Game)” campaign beginning May 18, 2026, and running through May 21, with a 5% commission structure for creators sharing links. Yahoo Finance and other market outlets then linked that report to the move in Take-Two shares. (finance.yahoo.com) May 18 became the focal point because the alleged campaign window started that day. Gaming sites including Tom’s Guide archive pages and other outlet coverage tracked fan expectations for a third trailer, pricing details and retailer listings, but those reports were based on community speculation around the email rather than a statement from Rockstar. (insider-gaming.com) ### Did Rockstar or Take-Two actually announce pre-orders? Rockstar Games had not announced pre-orders in the material reviewed by Monday, May 18. The company’s official Grand Theft Auto VI page highlights Trailer 2, character details and setting information, while a separate Rockstar Newswire post says the game is now set to launch on November 19, 2026. Neither page includes a preorder date or pricing. (digit.in) Take-Two’s investor relations site also did not list any GTA VI preorder announcement alongside its upcoming events calendar. The company’s site shows its fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 earnings conference call scheduled for May 21, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. UTC. ### How big was the stock move? Take-Two shares closed at $242.44 on May 15, according to Yahoo Finance, after trading in a 52-week range of $187.63 to $264.79. (rockstargames.com) Investing.com showed the stock up 9.47% over one week, while Insider Gaming said the rally added nearly $2 billion in market value at one stage on May 14. The move came before earnings. Yahoo Finance lists Take-Two’s earnings date as May 21, and investor focus has already centered on the company’s timeline for Grand Theft Auto VI, which is expected to be one of the biggest releases in the videogame industry. (ir.take2games.com) ### How much of this rests on verified information? Insider Gaming drew a distinction between the email and the broader conclusions attached to it. (finance.yahoo.com) The outlet said the Best Buy affiliate email itself was authentic, based on copies it received, but that did not amount to official confirmation from Rockstar or Take-Two that pre-orders would open on May 18. Other gaming coverage showed that uncertainty. GTABoom reported that Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson said on a May 16 podcast he did not believe pre-orders were actually opening on Monday, May 18, despite the email-driven speculation. That left open the possibility that the affiliate material reflected a draft campaign, placeholder timing or a retailer-side plan not yet activated publicly. (insider-gaming.com) ### What is officially confirmed about GTA VI right now? November 19, 2026 is the clearest fixed date. Rockstar said in a Newswire post that Grand Theft Auto VI will release on Thursday, November 19, 2026, and Take-Two repeated that date in a November 2025 earnings release. May 21 is the next scheduled company event investors can point to. (gtaboom.com) Take-Two’s investor calendar lists its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call for that date, and any fresh comment from Chief Executive Strauss Zelnick or the company’s finance team would appear there or on Rockstar’s official channels. (ir.take2games.com) (rockstargames.com)