Fans review-bomb GTA VI pre-orders across platforms after delay (May 18–21)

Rockstar Games is facing another round of online backlash after the latest delay to Grand Theft Auto VI, with fans posting negative public reviews and amplifying new rumors about when pre-orders might begin. Screen Rant reported on May 14 that some players had turned to Google reviews for Rockstar North after months of frustration over the company’s limited public updates. (insider-gaming.com) May 18 has emerged as the focal point for the next wave of speculation. Insider Gaming reported on May 14 that a Best Buy affiliate email pointed to Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders opening that day, and said it verified the message through affiliates who received it via Impact, an affiliate marketplace. (take2games.com) Rockstar has not publicly confirmed any pre-order date. The company has confirmed only that Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026. (screenrant.com) ### Where is the review-bombing showing up? Screen Rant said the backlash has shown up in public-facing reviews tied to Rockstar North rather than to a live product page for the game itself. The outlet cited GameSpot as first reporting that some fans were leaving negative Google reviews to protest Rockstar’s silence and the game’s delay. (insider-gaming.com) Google review posts do not establish whether the writers are customers or players, and Screen Rant said there was no clear way to verify who was acting in bad faith. That has left the backlash visible but hard to measure in a standardized way across platforms. (rockstargames.com) ### Why are fans focused on May 18 through May 21? Insider Gaming reported that the leaked affiliate material named May 18, 2026, as the start date for a Best Buy campaign tied to Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders. The outlet said multiple people had reported receiving the email and that it independently confirmed the message was genuine. (screenrant.com) IGN reported on May 15 that fans had gone “into overdrive” after reports of the apparent Best Buy leak and renewed Trailer 3 rumors. Forbes also reported that a verified Best Buy affiliate email pointed to May 18 and said the pre-order window could connect to a new trailer. (screenrant.com) Those reports remain based on leaked retail and affiliate material, not a Rockstar announcement. May 21 matters because Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, has scheduled its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings conference call for that date. (insider-gaming.com) Fans have been watching the company’s investor calendar for signs of new Grand Theft Auto VI marketing or guidance. ### Has Rockstar confirmed any of the leak claims? Rockstar has confirmed the release date but not the pre-order window. In a Newswire post dated November 6, 2025, the company said Grand Theft Auto VI would release on Thursday, November 19, 2026. (ign.com) No official Rockstar post reviewed here confirms May 18, May 21, or a Trailer 3 release. That leaves the current pre-order timeline in the category of retailer-linked reporting and fan speculation rather than company guidance. (take2games.com) ### What is this PlayStation unlock schedule that surfaced? Guru3D reported on May 14 that Rockstar had revealed a global unlock schedule for PlayStation platforms ahead of launch. The site said the game would unlock at different local times by region, including 8:00 a.m. in the United Kingdom and 1:00 p.m. in the United States on November 19. (rockstargames.com) Guru3D’s report is separate from the pre-order leak claims. It deals with launch-day access timing for a game Rockstar has already dated for November, not with when customers will first be able to place orders. (insider-gaming.com) ### What should readers watch next? May 18 is the earliest reported pre-order date in the leaked Best Buy affiliate material, according to Insider Gaming. May 21 is the date of Take-Two Interactive’s scheduled earnings call, which is listed on the company’s investor relations calendar. (guru3d.com) November 19, 2026 remains the only launch milestone Rockstar has publicly confirmed. Until Rockstar publishes a store page, trailer announcement, or pre-order notice, the next concrete updates are most likely to appear on Rockstar’s Newswire or Take-Two’s investor site. (guru3d.com) (rockstargames.com) (insider-gaming.com)