GTA 6 pre-order May 18 leak

Rockstar Games has not confirmed a Grand Theft Auto VI pre-order date, but a new round of retailer leak reports has focused attention on Sunday, May 18. IGN reported on May 14 that Best Buy affiliate messages appeared to show a GTA 6 pre-order start date, touching off fresh speculation about a third trailer and a broader marketing push. Forbes and ScreenRant each said multiple people appeared to receive versions of the same retailer message, giving the leak more weight even as Rockstar and Best Buy stayed silent. ### What exactly is supposed to have leaked? Best Buy affiliate emails are at the center of the latest rumor cycle. ScreenRant reported that affiliates were told they could earn 5% compensation on a “GTA 6 Pre Order Physical Game” campaign running from May 18 through May 21, and Forbes separately reported that many recipients saw the same dates in what it described as a verified Best Buy affiliate email. (ign.com) The May 18 to May 21 window appears to describe a promotional or affiliate campaign period, not necessarily the full length of pre-orders. Digital Citizen, citing posts shared across ResetEra, GTA Forums and Cheap Ass Gamer, said the wording pointed to a short affiliate commission window tied to physical pre-orders rather than a claim that orders would close on May 21. (screenrant.com) ### Why did people take this leak more seriously than the usual GTA rumor? Forbes wrote on May 14 that “too many people” had received the same email for the image to look like a one-off fabrication, while IGN said the reports sent fans “into overdrive” after repeated waits for a third trailer. Those reports did not include confirmation from Rockstar Games or Best Buy, but they described a broader distribution pattern than the typical single screenshot rumor. (digitalcitizen.life) The Sixth Axis was cited by ScreenRant as the first outlet to report the affiliate email, and later coverage said the same details circulated across creator and forum communities. That sequence helped move the claim from social posts into wider games coverage, though the underlying evidence still rests on leaked retailer communications rather than a public company statement. (forbes.com) ### Has Rockstar said anything about pre-orders or a third trailer? Rockstar Games has publicly confirmed the game’s release date, but not a pre-order launch date. In a May 2, 2025 Newswire post, Rockstar said Grand Theft Auto VI is set to release on May 26, 2026, and said it would share more information later. The company’s official materials currently establish the launch target and prior trailer rollout, but the sources reviewed here do not show a Rockstar confirmation of May 18 pre-orders or Trailer 3. (screenrant.com) IGN reported that fans and some outlets linked the rumored pre-order start to hopes for another trailer, but that remains speculation. Forbes similarly said a third trailer was “likely tied” to the same window, presenting that as an expectation rather than a confirmed plan from Rockstar. (rockstargames.com) ### Does the May 21 end date mean pre-orders would only last three days? The reported May 21 date does not appear to mean that. ScreenRant’s account described a rewards period for affiliates, and Digital Citizen said the listed dates most likely marked the commission window for the campaign rather than the duration of consumer availability. (ign.com) A short affiliate window would fit how retailers sometimes structure promotional pushes around a launch event or announcement. That is an inference from the campaign wording reported by outlets, not a statement from Best Buy or Rockstar. ### What can actually be said with confidence right now? May 14 coverage from IGN, Forbes and ScreenRant shows a consistent core claim: Best Buy affiliate materials appeared to list a GTA 6 physical pre-order campaign beginning May 18 and running through May 21. (screenrant.com) Those reports also agree on the main limitation: neither Rockstar Games nor Best Buy had publicly confirmed the dates in the material reviewed. May 18 is now the clearest near-term checkpoint because it is the first date named across the leak reports. Rockstar’s official Newswire and GTA VI pages remain the places where any confirmed pre-order announcement, trailer release or retail details would be expected to appear first. (rockstargames.com) (ign.com)