One of the earliest signs of Grand Theft Auto 6‘s imminent success came on May 14, 2026, when Take-Two Interactive’s stock market value surged by more than 7%, pushing the company’s market capitalization to nearly $45 billion. On that day, rumors about Grand Theft Auto 6‘s pre-order campaign began circulating online, which is believed to have triggered the market movement.
The market-shifting rumor came from an allegedly leaked Best Buy email sent to its partners, which claimed to reveal Grand Theft Auto 6‘s pre-order dates. According to the email, the campaign is set to go live on May 18 and run through May 21. As more people reported receiving similar emails, the leak gained traction and eventually helped drive a significant gain for Take-Two Interactive.
GTA 6 CEO is “Terrified” of Its Release
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has some concerns about GTA 6’s release, specifically fan expectations around the game.
GTA 6 Has Already Caused an Anomaly in the Stock Market
Each Take-Two Interactive share is currently trading at about $245 USD, a 7.37% increase from its previous value of roughly $228 USD (via Yahoo Finance). WallStreetZen’s latest index puts Take-Two Interactive’s market value at $44.89 billion, making it one of the five biggest video game companies in the world.
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What is unusual is that much of the stock movement happened while the market was flat. In simple terms, a flat market means most trades are happening within a narrow range, with no major gains or losses. In other words, the recent Grand Theft Auto 6 rumors have been impactful enough to push traders to buy Take-Two Interactive shares despite the data from benchmark indexes.
Top Video Game Companies by Market Capitalization
|
Rank |
Company |
Market Cap. |
|---|---|---|
|
#1 |
NetEase INC |
$72.24 billion |
|
#2 |
Electronic Arts (EA) |
$50.35 billion |
|
#3 |
Take-Two Interactive |
$44.89 billion |
|
#4 |
Roblox Corp. |
$31.30 billion |
|
#5 |
Bilibili INC |
$8.43 billion |
On May 21, Take-Two Interactive will hold an earnings call with shareholders. The company is likely to address the recent market shift and its increased market value during the meeting. Some also believe the earnings call, or the days leading up to it, could be when Rockstar Games releases the anticipated third trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, since much of the stock movement appears to be tied to the game. Of course, these are only speculations and should be taken with a grain of salt.
What is almost undeniable is that GTA 6 is set to be a massive financial success for Take-Two Interactive and developer Rockstar Games. The previous game in the franchise broke multiple Guinness World Records and generated billions of dollars in revenue over its lifetime. The upcoming installment already appears to be shaping up as one of the biggest video game releases in the history of entertainment. And the current market anomalies seem to be only an early sign of the storm that will likely shake up the industry.
- Released
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November 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+
