Insider Tom Henderson says he hasn't heard signs Rockstar will announce GTA 6 on May 18

Tom Henderson said on May 16 that he had not heard signs of major Rockstar Games news tied to May 18, undercutting a burst of online speculation around Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders and a possible third trailer. Notebookcheck and other outlets cited comments Henderson made on the latest “Insider Gaming Weekly” episode, where he said he doubted fans would see anything “tangible” that soon. Henderson has also said a Best Buy affiliate email circulating online appeared to be legitimate, but he questioned whether it reflected an actual public rollout. Rockstar Games has not announced a May 18 event or any new GTA VI marketing beat. ### What exactly did Henderson say about May 18? Tom Henderson said on the podcast that he had not heard “rumblings” of significant Rockstar Games news for May 18, according to Notebookcheck’s account of the episode. The same report said Henderson’s expectation was that fans would not get anything “tangible” until “July, August,” framing that as his own assessment rather than a new report. (notebookcheck.net) TheGamer, which also summarized the episode on May 16, reported that Henderson did not think GTA VI pre-orders would open on Monday, May 18. That outlet said Henderson believed the next few days would likely pass without a pre-order launch, even though he had previously said the retailer email itself looked real. (notebookcheck.net) ### Why were fans focused on May 18 in the first place? Best Buy affiliate emails circulated this week with language pointing to a GTA VI pre-order window beginning May 18 and running through May 21, according to reports compiled by Notebookcheck and PlayFront. Those reports said the messages were enough to trigger wider expectations that Rockstar might pair pre-orders with Trailer 3 or another marketing push. (thegamer.com) Forbes and IGN were among outlets that covered the retailer-linked speculation in recent days, treating the Best Buy material as a possible clue to imminent movement around the game. Neither report amounted to confirmation from Rockstar, and both were based on leaked retailer or affiliate material rather than a company announcement. (notebookcheck.net) ### Did Henderson reject the Best Buy email itself? Henderson did not dismiss the email as fabricated. Notebookcheck said he verified that the Best Buy email was legitimate, but suggested it may have been sent prematurely. TheGamer reported the same distinction: authentic email, but not necessarily proof that pre-orders were about to go live on May 18. (forbes.com) That distinction has become central to the latest GTA VI rumor cycle. Several secondary reports have repeated Henderson’s view that a retailer or affiliate campaign can be real while still failing to line up with Rockstar’s public timing. ### What has Rockstar actually confirmed? Rockstar Games said in a Newswire post dated May 2, 2025, that Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to release on May 26, 2026. (notebookcheck.net) The company’s post did not mention pre-orders, a third trailer, or a May 18 marketing event. Rockstar has also released Trailer 2 and maintained official GTA VI materials through its own channels, but no new official post surfaced in the reporting reviewed here tying fresh announcements to May 18. (libertycity.net) That leaves the current dispute centered on retailer signals and insider commentary rather than a direct statement from Rockstar. (rockstargames.com) ### Why does the May 21 Take-Two call matter now? Take-Two Interactive has its next earnings call scheduled for May 21, according to the company’s investor relations page. Notebookcheck said Henderson expects gamers to hear some form of update around that point, though he suggested it could be limited to reaffirming the release schedule and asking for patience. (rockstargames.com) Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two’s chief executive, has previously signaled that GTA VI marketing would ramp up in summer 2026, according to reporting ahead of the call. That has left May 21 as the next named milestone on the calendar, even as Henderson’s comments lowered expectations for May 18 specifically. (take2games.com) ### What should readers watch next? May 18 is the immediate date attached to the Best Buy-linked rumor, but Rockstar Games has not publicly endorsed it. If no announcement appears, the next concrete checkpoint is Take-Two’s May 21 earnings call, where Zelnick and the publisher will address investors. (respawn.outlookindia.com) May 26, 2026, remains the official GTA VI release date named by Rockstar in the company’s Newswire post. Any change to pre-orders, Trailer 3 timing, or the broader marketing schedule would most likely appear first through Rockstar Games or Take-Two channels rather than retailer leaks. (rockstargames.com) (notebookcheck.net)