GTA 6 pre orders may open on May 18 after leaked Best Buy email

Rockstar may be close to opening pre orders for GTA 6.

A new leak suggests that physical pre orders for Grand Theft Auto 6 could begin on Monday, May 18. The claim comes from a Best Buy affiliate email reportedly received by multiple people, including users on ResetEra, GTA Forums, and Cheap Ass Gamer.

The email mentions a “GTA 6 Pre Order Physical Game” promotional window running from May 18 to May 21, 2026. That window appears to refer to Best Buy’s affiliate commission period, not the full pre order period. If pre orders do open on May 18, they would likely remain available until GTA 6 launches on November 19.

This is still a leak, so it should be treated carefully. But the timing is interesting.

Take Two is holding its next earnings call on May 21, only three days after the rumored pre order date. That creates a clear possible strategy. Rockstar and Take Two could open pre orders on May 18, let sales numbers build for a few days, then use the earnings call to highlight early demand.

That would give Take Two a huge talking point for investors. GTA 6 is expected to be one of the biggest entertainment launches ever, and even a few days of pre order data could produce record breaking numbers.

The leak also matters because pricing is still unknown. Analysts have debated whether Rockstar could charge more than the normal $70 price. Some have suggested $80, while others have floated the possibility of $100. If pre orders do begin on May 18, fans may finally learn the official price.

Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick recently pushed back against concerns about another delay, joking that many players would be calling in sick on November 19. That helped reinforce confidence that Rockstar is still aiming for the current launch date.

At the same time, reports around Rockstar have pointed to heavy crunch as the studio pushes toward release. That adds pressure around the November date, especially because GTA 6 has already been delayed before.

For now, Rockstar has not officially announced the start of pre orders. But the Best Buy email appears to be more than a random rumor, since multiple people reportedly received the same message.

If the leak is accurate, May 18 could be the next major GTA 6 moment. Pre orders would bring the first real look at pricing, editions, physical availability, and how aggressively Take Two plans to market the game before its November launch.