GTA 6 pre-orders look set for summer, as Take-Two CEO teases that's when "Rockstar expects to start marketing" it
What's another couple of months?
Despite all of the rumors surrounding a Trailer 3 release and a supposed leak via Best Buy, pre-orders for GTA 6 likely aren't going live any time soon.
Or, at least, that's what Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick says to Bloomberg in a new interview, as per a new online post from Jason Schreier.
In case you've been out of the loop, folks have been absolutely convinced that GTA 6 pre-orders are opening up yesterday, today, tomorrow, and you name it. A lot of this hopium found its origins in retailers like Best Buy, with fans claiming support told them that pre-orders would be going live, as well as reports of an email being sent out to affiliates which allegedly stated that a pre-order campaign would be kicking off this week.
There hasn't been any solid confirmation, however, from Rockstar Games or otherwise – but now, it appears that Grand Theft Auto stans' hopes may finally be laid to rest as Schreier reports that, yes, GTA 6 is still on course to drop on November 19 with "no delay" in sight – but Zelnick doesn't know "where this week's Best Buy rumors came from" and "pre-orders typically start alongside marketing (which will begin this summer)."
Take-Two earnings: Grand Theft Auto VI is still planned for November 19. No delay. In an interview with Bloomberg today, CEO Strauss Zelnick said he didn't know where this week's Best Buy rumors came from and that pre-orders typically start alongside marketing (which will begin this summer).
— @jasonschreier.bsky.social (@jasonschreier.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-05-22T13:24:13.197Z
This lines up nicely with what Zelnick tells Variety, too, that "when it's summertime, Rockstar expects to start marketing GTA 6."
In other words, GTA 6 pre-orders probably aren't going to be open to the public until June 21 or later – that's when summer officially kicks off, after all. It's sad news for all of the hopeful fans wanting to secure their purchase now, now, now, but all things considered, the upcoming season isn't that far away, really.
Heck, the community has waited a whopping 12 (nearly 13) years for a new Grand Theft Auto game. It hasn't been an easy wait, with fans using everything from pizza boxes to moon phases to try to decipher developers' plans… as GTA players do.
All of this theorizing, coupled with past delays, has people on the edge of their seats – but what's another couple of months, eh? As long as there's no further setback, that is.
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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.
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