GTA 6 preorders may not open on May 18 despite Best Buy email leak

A 6 preorders may not open on May 18 despite Best Buy email leak

GTA 6 fans may need to wait longer for preorders, despite a recent Best Buy affiliate email suggesting they could begin on May 18. New insider comments now claim that the email was real, but that preorders are not actually expected to open on Monday.

The earlier email caused a lot of excitement because it appeared to point to a May 18 start date for physical preorders. Many fans took that as a sign that Rockstar and Take Two were preparing the next major step in the GTA 6 rollout. Now, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson says nothing major is expected until July or August.

According to Henderson, the Best Buy affiliate email appears to have been legitimate, but that does not automatically mean the preorder date is correct. It may have been sent by mistake, tied to an old campaign plan, or prepared before timing changed. Best Buy and the affiliate platform have not publicly clarified the situation.

The timing suggested by Henderson lines up with Take Two’s next earnings call, which is expected around August. That could be a more likely window for a new trailer, preorder details, pricing, editions, or broader marketing plans.

Another rumor is also drawing attention. A Brazilian journalist claims Rockstar may not send normal review copies to media outlets or content creators before launch. Instead, the company may hold a controlled review event at a secure location, where selected people can play GTA 6 without receiving code to take home.

That would be unusual, but not impossible. GTA 6 is one of the most anticipated games ever, and Rockstar will likely be extremely careful about leaks before release. A secure review event would give the company more control over early access, though it would also make things harder for reviewers who usually need more time with a large open world game.

This would be a change from Red Dead Redemption 2, which did receive review codes before launch. Still, Rockstar may treat GTA 6 differently because of the scale of attention around it.

For now, the safest view is that May 18 should not be treated as a confirmed preorder date. The Best Buy email may have been real, but the preorder plan itself appears unclear. Until Rockstar, Take Two, or major retailers make an official announcement, GTA 6 fans should expect more rumors before the real campaign begins.