- GTA 6 pre-orders are not happening on May 18, 2026.
- The date was initially hinted at through leaked Best Buy emails.
- New insider data reveals that Best Buy had incorrect information.
GTA fans who have been hovering over their digital wallets all weekend might want to brace for disappointment. Despite a massive wave of hype suggesting the GTA 6 pre-orders would officially open on May 18, new reports suggest that this isn’t the case. Check out everything we know so far.
Insider Emails Reveal Initial GTA 6 Pre-Order Date as Inaccurate
The frenzy related to the GTA 6 pre-orders kicked off last week when whispers of an affiliate email sent by retail giant Best Buy began circulating. The email explicitly pointed to May 18, 2026, as the launch date for pre-orders, sending social media into overdrive and even boosting Take-Two Interactive’s stock price. However, new industry voices have since thrown cold water on the fire.
The disappointing news comes from GTA Forums, where a verified user named Graczdari_91 revealed information from an internal Rockstar email. The user revealed, “I don’t want to disappoint anyone, but internal company emails suggest that Best Buy has got it wrong and no pre-orders will be launching today.” This means that, even though retailers hinted at GTA 6 pre-orders going live soon, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.
The leak was further privately reviewed and verified by Spider-Vice, a chief admin for the GTA Forums, who stated: “The company email also matches the one the member used to register on the forum, as they’ve suggested before they used their work email here.” Videotech also cited ongoing internal damage control regarding the inaccurate Best Buy campaign.
While some optimistic fans have noted that the PlayStation Store recently updated its listing to show “free delivery” options for the title, it still remains locked behind a “Wishlist” button.
With GTA 6 still slated for a release on November 19, 2026, a five-month pre-order window wouldn’t be unusual for Rockstar. However, until Rockstar Games itself reveals new information, gamers are advised to put their credit cards away.
Are you disappointed by the developments in the GTA 6 pre-order mayhem? Tell us in the comments below!
