This new Best Buy 'leak' claims GTA 6 pre-orders begin on May 18 — but I wouldn't hold your breath yet

Lucia Caminos from Grand Theft Auto 6 sitting on a yellow motorcycle in front of a bar at night time.
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

  • An apparent Best Buy affiliate campaign email suggests Grand Theft Auto 6's pre-order date is set for May 18, 2026
  • The campaign's duration is set between May 18 and May 21
  • Take-Two Interactive will have its earnings call on May 21

Rockstar Games' scheduled November 19, 2026, launch date for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 remains in question after multiple delays. However, a new leak suggests that the release date may indeed be locked in.

Best Buy has reportedly leaked the pre-order date for GTA 6 via an affiliate email, first reported by content creator Frogboyx1Gaming. The email shows an affiliate campaign labelled 'GTA 6 Pre Order (Physical Game)' lasting from May 18 to May 21, strongly implying pre-orders will open on May 18.

The email has since been corroborated by leaker Tom Henderson and several users online and on Reddit, and with Take-Two Interactive's earnings call set for May 21, the timing does line up.

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Another person has received the BestBuy GTA6 Preorder Email with video proof from r/GTA6

Jason Duval at a pool table in GTA 6

(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

However, Rockstar has been rather unpredictable in its marketing for its games, particularly amid all the theories about when the next trailer will arrive.

Take-Two Interactive's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, previously stated that marketing for the game would begin in summer 2026, and it's not summer just yet. There's a decent chance marketing could kick off much earlier (i.e., from May 18), but history tells us that proceedings may not go exactly as fans predict.

One thing is almost certain: an update on GTA 6 is likely imminent, as the earnings call edges closer, notably, on May 21, when the supposed affiliate campaign from Best Buy ends.

I'd love to eat my words if a third trailer does drop and the doors open for pre-orders, but perhaps it's better to be cautious on excitement levels for now.


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Isaiah Williams
Staff Writer, Computing

Isaiah is a Staff Writer for the Computing channel at TechRadar. He's spent over two years writing about all things tech, specifically games on PC, consoles, and handhelds. He started off at GameRant in 2022 after graduating from Birmingham City University in the same year, before writing at PC Guide which included work on deals articles, reviews, and news on PC products such as GPUs, CPUs, monitors, and more. He spends most of his time finding out about the exciting new features of upcoming GPUs, and is passionate about new game releases on PC, hoping that the ports aren't a complete mess.

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