GTA 6 pre-order rumors appear to be false alarm — latest updates
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The hype continues
Even if pre-orders didn’t go live today, it hasn’t diminished people’s excitement for GTA 6. With Summer Game Fest just around the corner, we suspect the anticipation will grow, even if Rockstar doesn’t make any official announcement at the event. The company will have to launch pre-orders sooner rather than later, so we’ll keep an eye on things.
It doesn’t look like today is the day!
Whelp, it’s 5 p.m. in the UK and noon on the East Coast. Based on Rockstar’s track record, if we were going to get GTA 6 news and/or pre-orders today, I reckon we’d have heard by now. I think we can consider the odds of GTA 6 pre-orders going live today extremely remote. Sorry to anybody who had their hopes up!
Still all quiet on the GTA 6 pre-order front
We’re at quite at the point where I’m ready to label today a total wash, but we’re definitely in the period where if Rockstar was going to announce anything GTA 6-related, it would surely come imminently. My skepticism levels were already high, but at this point, I’m very heavily leaning towards there being no GTA 6 pre-orders today. If you’re still keeping the faith, let me know in the comments down below.
I’ve fallen down a GTA 6 pre-order rabbit hole (send help)!
Grand Theft Auto V is now officially available for pre-order http://t.co/yoMbtjEI #GTAVNovember 5, 2012
Adding further fuel to this theory is that Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-orders went live on June 4, 2018, which was, you’ve guessed it, a Monday. So it appears that Rockstar’s historic preference for confirming pre-order details is on a Monday.
There’s a little something to hold onto while we wait to see if the rumors of GTA 6 pre-orders kicking off today are in fact true!
The US is awake, but still no GTA 6 news
All hope isn’t lost for GTA 6 pre-orders and/or news today, but it’s approaching 10 a.m. on the East Coast of the United States, and as noted, this is a period where Rockstar Games has form for dropping new trailers and social media posts.
If we were going to see something from Vice City today, it would most likely fall in this period, so the lack of news (and no new rumors hinting at something being minutes away), definitely isn’t a good sign. However, Rockstar could be switching up its schedule, so while I’m leaning towards today not being the day, I can’t totally rule it out. I’m still watching closely, and will update you here if I spot anything.
Just how much will GTA 6 cost at launch?
Another big talking point when it comes to GTA 6 isn’t just the pre-order date, but how much the game will cost. In the U.S., the base price for a AAA release is $69.99, but there’s reason to think that Rockstar Games might push the boat out further.
Last summer, Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2 became the first major game to buck the trend and price it’s base version at $79.99. It was predicted this would open the floodgates for all AAA publishers to increase prices by $10, but as of yet that hasn’t really happened. Well, The Outer Worlds 2 tried it, but even before launch that was walked back with the game eventually being released for $70.
However, GTA 6 is likely to enjoy such significant demand Rockstar (and parent company Take-Two) can likely set whatever price they wish, and gamers might just pay it. Some analysts have predicted that GTA 6’s standard edition might cost $100.
Neverthless, I think GTA 6 will stick to the tried-and-tested $69.99 MSRP (maybe it’ll match Mario at $80). After all, GTA 5’s biggest cash cow is the Shark Card micro transactions found in the online mode. And Rockstar/Take-Two may want to keep GTA 6’s barrier to entry reasonable to get people into their online world.
This is still the last time we saw GTA 6!
It’s been more than a year, and Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2 remains the last time we got to see the game. I guess with all the rumors firing around the internet, now is as good a time as any to give it a rewatch (if you haven’t got sick of rewatching it by now). With no fresh leaks or rumors pointing towards a new trailer or pre-order information as of yet, this trailer might have to keep us going for a while longer!
Rockstar time is approaching!
Bearing in mind that GTA 6 pre-orders/new is not confirmed for today (it’s just rumored), if we are to get something, there is a time slot when it’s most likely.
Historically, Rockstar is known for posting between 2-3 p.m. BST (9-10 a.m. ET). For example Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2 dropped at 2:30 p.m. BST. So while it’s been all quiet so far today, that isn’t unexpected going by Rockstar’s usual posting habit.
If we are to hear anything about GTA 6 today, then it’s most likely to come in just under two hours. But of course, Rockstar could throw us a curveball and post earlier or later, or as I keep on saying, they might just not say anything at all today.
GTA forum user claims Best Buy ‘got it wrong’
As mentioned, today will be a day of rumors flying free and fast, and the latest comes via a popular GTA forum.
A user named “Graczdari_91” claims to have access to “internal company emails,” which suggests that “Best Buy has got it wrong and no pre-orders will be launching today.”
The user is refusing to publicly share any proof of this claim, but an admin of the forum claims to have verified the user’s identity. So, does this mean that the GTA 6 pre-order dream is dead for today, at least? Maybe. But remember, this claim comes from an anonymous forum user who refuses to share any real evidence.
For now, all we can do is wait and see if Rockstar comments on the subject today!
We could have been so close to GTA 6!
Not to rub it in, but in another timeline, we would have been pretty much one week away from having GTA 6 in our hands. Remember, the first firm release date for the game was Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Sadly, this date wasn’t to be and GTA 6 was delay further to the current date of November 19, 2026 last winter. Maybe Rockstar will reward our extra patience with a new trailer (and pre-orders) today!
TG readers are split on GTA 6 pre-orders
Earlier today, I polled the Tom’s Guide readers to get a vibe-check on whether they believe today will indeed see GTA pre-orders go live, and the results are interesting.
After more than 125 votes, 38% of people think we won’t get GTA 6 pre-orders today and the wait will continue. On the other side, 36% of readers believe the leaks and rumors and think we will get GTA 6 pre-orders today. Finally, 26% voted for “maybe”. Perhaps that’s the safest option because Rockstar is very hard to predict.
While this poll was just for fun, it does show that the gaming community is pretty split on the validity of the ongoing GTA 6 rumors. Let’s see which side is right!
Walmart offers the most compelling evidence since Best Buy leak
So far, apart from the Best Buy affiliate email leak, none of the online theories has really convinced me that GTA 6 pre-orders are actually happening today. I’m still in the cautiously optimistic camp. But Walmart might have just given us the most compelling reason yet to start huffing on pure hopium for the next few hours.
It appears that the retailer’s Grand Theft Auto VI listing page is live. It can be found both on Walmart.com and via Google search results. However, when you click the link, you get a “This page couldn’t be found” screen, but it’s a hopeful sign.
This could be the retailer getting its ducks in a row for a later date, but it’s definitely the most tangible evidence we have so far that GTA 6 pre-orders could happen today. I’m keeping a watchful eye on the page and will update if anything changes.
Did I just debunk the PlayStation Store theory?
To expand on my skepticism of the below PlayStation Store update rumor, I’ve done some sleuthing and can see the same “free delivery” Google search text when looking up both Control Resonant and Marvel’s Wolverine.
Like GTA 6, these 2026 releases aren’t currently available to pre-order (though Wolverine has a confirmed June 16 pre-order date). With these games also showing the same “free delivery” tag as GTA 6, I think we can consider this one a real nothing burger. My research suggests it’s just standard tagging on the PlayStation Store and not an indication that GTA 6 pre-orders are about to go live.
A small update from PlayStation Store could hint at GTA 6 pre-orders
The PlayStation Store And PlayStation Website Now Says “Free Delivery” under the GTA6 Page. IT’S HAPPENING GUYS!!! pic.twitter.com/x7Fzi35j7QMay 18, 2026
After noting the alleged Xbox Store update earlier today, the PlayStation Store and PlayStation Direct also appears to have been subtly updated (per @GTASixInfo on X). The store’s listing pages now reads “free delivery” when viewed via Google.
Could be the latest indication that gaming storefronts across the internet are preparing for GTA 6 pre-orders to go live later today? Maybe, though, I’m far from convinced about this one. By searching for almost any game on the PlayStation Store I see a “free delivery” text. It seems like it’s just a standard tag for PlayStation, rather than some specific sign that GTA 6 pre-order are about to go live.
Does Rockstar’s YouTube hint at GTA 6 Trailer 3 soon?
I’ve just spotted another conspiracy fan theory via Reddit, this time it relates to Rockstar Games’ official YouTube channel. At present, the account has 416 watchable videos, but including private/unlisted videos, the total leaps to 446.
Why is this significant? According to the Reddit user in question, there were 444 videos on the account on Friday. If accurate, this would mean that Rockstar has uploaded two new videos to its YouTube account, but hasn’t made them public.
Could these perhaps be GTA 6 Trailer 3 and a pre-order confirmation trailer? It’s certainly possible. But as I keep saying, take all these rumors with a grain of salt.
Will GTA 6 get a swanky special edition?
One aspect to consider is that when GTA 6 pre-orders go live that could also mean the announcement of a Collector’s Edition. Back in 2013, there were three editions of GTA 5: standard, special and collectors. And I won’t be surprised if GTA 6 is the same.
13 years later, physical editions aren’t as popular as they were in the 2010s thanks to the rise of digital purchases. However, Collector’s Editions are still released for the biggest AAA tentpole titles, and GTA 6 most certainly qualifies as one of those.
The GTA 5 Collector’s Edition included items like a snapback cap, a security deposit bag, a blueprint map and a steelbook, so I wonder what goodies a GTA 6 Collector’s Edition could offer. At the very least, a map and steelbook seems a pretty good bet.
Of course, a Collector’s Edition will likely come with a hefty pricetag to match. The GTA 5 CE retailed for $150 in 2013, and with rumors that the base GTA 6 could be priced at $100, there’s a possibility that any special edition of GTA 6 will be $200+.
A well-known leaker claims no GTA 6 pre-orders ‘until July or August’
As already noted, GTA 6 pre-orders going live today is really just a rumor; there is evidence on both sides, but we definitely don’t have confirmation from Rockstar.
As is usually the case when a major gaming rumor is floating around, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson has weighed in on the subject matter. During the latest Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, Henderson suggests we might not hear anything about GTA 6 until much later in the summer. Specifically, until July or August. Which would be quite the wait for a morsel of additional information.
Henderson has also suggested that the Best Buy email, the one that kicked off the hype surrounding today, is legit, but he’s clearly not convinced that it is concrete proof that GTA 6 pre-orders are only a matter of hours away. Only time will tell…
This GTA 6 pre-order rumor is being compared to UFO sightings!
Another GTA 6 pre-order rumor doing the rounds on Reddit has a real early 2000s internet vibe. On the r/GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit, a poster claims to have spotted GTA 6 promotional material through the window of a closed Danish electronics retailer.
The supplied images are out of focus and blurry, and other users have noted they images have a real whiff of grainy UFO pictures. It reminds me of the internet of old, when hastily doctored images would send forums into meltdown. Of course, these pictures could be legitimate and further evidence that GTA 6 pre-orders are just around the corner, but I’m highly skeptical.
In the year 2026, when most of us have very high-quality cameras in our pockets 24/7, such blurry images are usually evidence of somebody hiding something. Not to mention, with the rise of A.I., making phony “leaks” has never been easier.
Alleged Xbox Store update puts more fuel on the fire!
Buckle up, folks! I suspect today will see a lot of unverified claims, and I’ve just spotted one over on the /r/GTA6 subreddit. A user, going by the name “HugeRefrigerator4287,” has posted a screenshot of the Google search results for the Portuguese Xbox Store with an updated timestamp of “2 hours ago.”
What does this mean? Well, if the screenshot is legitimate (remember to take everything you see online with a pinch of salt), it suggests that something on the Xbox Store listing page for GTA 6 has been updated in the very early hours of the morning. This would make sense if GTA 6 pre-orders were indeed going live today.
Don’t take this as direct confirmation, but it’s another hopeful sign that something is brewing!
GTA 6 launches November 2026 (right?)
While I’m keeping an eye out for any updates on GTA 6 pre-orders, let’s talk about GTA 6’s release date. Currently, the game is set to launch on November 19, but after multiple delays and a 13-year gap between GTA 5 and 6, there are plenty of fears about the date shifting once again, most likely into 2027.
The good news is that Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar’s parent company), recently appeared on the David Senra podcast and again reaffirmed the November 19 date. Interestingly, in the same interview, Zelnick noted that “we’re about 18 months behind the original date.” So, clearly, the development of GTA 6 has been quite the marathon for the team at Rockstar.
The Best Buy email that started all this!
Okay, so if you’re super out of the loop at present, and wondering why the internet is in meltdown over GTA 6 (the /r/GTA6 subreddit is practically on fire), it all links back to Best Buy. The electronics retailer surprised everybody when it emailed members of its affiliate program last week, seemingly confirming that GTA 6 pre-orders would launch today (May 18). Rockstar itself has not commented on the matter, and even Best Buy hasn’t confirmed the validity of the email. So, this could prove to be a nothingburger, but we’re hoping for a major GTA 6 update today.
377 days and counting…
Tuesday, May 6, 2025. That’s the date that GTA 6 Trailer 2 dropped, and here we are more than 12 months later, and it remains our last proper look at this hugely anticipated video game. Since then, the only official news we’ve got is the confirmation of a delay (from May 26 to November 19), and otherwise Rockstar has been silent. The GTA community is desperate for update, could today be the day?