What happened with GTA 6 preorder rumors?

Preorder emails and false alarms roil GTA 6 hype

A wave of Grand Theft Auto 6 preorder speculation spread after leaked or erroneous retailer communications suggested listings could begin soon—especially around May 18. The earliest signs came from Best Buy affiliate emails that appeared to tease a preorder start date for GTA 6. Because Rockstar and Take-Two have been marketing intermittently, fans leaned hard into any hint that preorders were imminent.

However, several follow-ups undermined that confidence. Reports describe “erroneous pre-order emails” and claims that preorder announcements were being tied to content that had effectively been sent in error. Other coverage framed the situation as another false alarm as expectations repeatedly failed to match reality.

In the same general window, additional chatter described multiple “verified source” claims that were contradicted by other reporting and by continued silence from Rockstar about actual preorder timing.

Still, the hype didn’t fully dissipate. Additional stories contend that Take-Two’s CEO reconfirmed GTA 6’s release timing (without matching the rumored preorder schedule), and other reporting continued to circulate that preorder infrastructure might be preparing behind the scenes.

Why it matters:

• Fan trust takes a hit when retailers or affiliates leak information that doesn’t become real.
• Marketing momentum stalls: preorder timing is often a major signal of upcoming trailers and marketing beats.
• Speculation cycles intensify: when dates slip without explanation, communities amplify alternative theories.

Overall, the story is less about an announced preorder start and more about how quickly GTA 6 hype can spike—and then crash—when seemingly actionable signals (like retailer emails) turn out to be inaccurate.