Take-Two shares rally on GTA 6 buzz

Take-Two Interactive shares climbed on Thursday as speculation around Grand Theft Auto VI spread across social media and gaming outlets. TTWO traded at about $244.75 by 11:33 a.m. EDT, up 7.82% from its previous close of $226.99, according to Yahoo Finance market data. Reports circulating on May 14 pointed to an apparent Best Buy affiliate email that said physical pre-orders for the game could begin on May 18, though Rockstar Games and Take-Two had not confirmed that date. The move added to a week of renewed attention around Rockstar’s biggest upcoming release. Rockstar Games said in November that Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026. (finance.yahoo.com) Take-Two, which owns Rockstar, is due to report quarterly and full-year results after the market closes on May 21. (finance.yahoo.com) ### What set off the stock move on May 14? May 14 posts on gaming forums, X and news sites focused on screenshots of what was described as a Best Buy affiliate-marketing email. Yahoo Finance reported that the message suggested pre-orders could open as early as this weekend, and several gaming outlets said the email mentioned a promotional window beginning May 18. (rockstargames.com) (take2games.com) Seeking Alpha said traders linked the rally to online reports of an imminent new trailer and pre-order dates. IGN reported that fans reacted to a possible Best Buy leak and a fresh round of “Trailer 3” rumors, while Forbes said multiple recipients appeared to have received the same email. (finance.yahoo.com) ### Did Best Buy, Rockstar or Take-Two confirm the pre-order date? Rockstar Games and Take-Two had not publicly confirmed a May 18 pre-order opening as of Thursday. Forbes said pre-orders were not live and Rockstar had not announced a window, and IGN described the reports as rumors driven by an apparent retailer leak rather than an official announcement. (seekingalpha.com) Best Buy was central to the reports because the alleged email was said to have gone to affiliate partners, not consumers. Yahoo Finance said the screenshots referenced a 5% commission for creators sharing physical-edition pre-order links, a detail repeated by several gaming and market reports. ### How large was the rally in Take-Two shares? (forbes.com) TTWO rose as much as 7.82% intraday to $244.75, based on Yahoo Finance data captured late Thursday morning. Bloomberg quote data also showed the stock trading above $241 intraday after closing at $226.99 on Wednesday. Insider Gaming said the jump briefly added nearly $2 billion in market value, citing a share-price increase of $10.79 to $237.78 earlier in the session. (finance.yahoo.com) That estimate reflects market capitalization changes during the trading day rather than a company statement. ### Why are investors focused on Grand Theft Auto VI now? November 19, 2026 is the official release date Rockstar posted after delaying the game from an earlier target. (finance.yahoo.com) With roughly six months until launch, any sign of pre-orders, pricing or a new trailer has become a market event for Take-Two because the game is expected to be one of the company’s biggest releases. (insider-gaming.com) Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two’s chief executive, has also signaled that marketing is approaching. Gaming reports citing his recent public comments said marketing for Grand Theft Auto VI would begin soon, though no exact campaign date was given in the company materials reviewed for this story. (rockstargames.com) ### What is the next concrete date investors can watch? April 23 was the date Take-Two said it would release fourth-quarter and fiscal 2026 results after the close on Thursday, May 21, followed by a 4:30 p.m. Eastern conference call. The company said a live webcast and replay would be available on its investor relations site. (rockstarintel.com) May 18 is the date cited in the alleged Best Buy affiliate email for the start of a pre-order campaign, according to Yahoo Finance and gaming outlets, but that remains unconfirmed by Rockstar and Take-Two. (finance.yahoo.com) (take2games.com)