Best Buy may have accidentally revealed that Grand Theft Auto 6 preorders could begin as early as Monday, May 18, next week. That’s according to many reports across social media and gaming forums like Reddit, X, and GTAForums, as well as deal trackers like Cheap Ass Gamer Deals. According to those reports, they received an affiliate partner email from the retailer detailing a ‘GTA 6 Pre Order (Physical Game)’ campaign.
The email below mentioned a 5% commission bonus running from May 18 through May 21, leading many to believe those dates are when the preorder starts. User Mattmo831 on GTAForums even pointed out that Best Buy rarely offers 5% commission on video game sales, fueling speculation that it may have been sent out early.
This widespread ‘rumor’ gained more weight after Insider Gaming, an outlet focusing on industry leaks, chimed in. It wrote that it received copies of the email from two separate affiliates, which originated through Impact, a major affiliate marketplace often used by many retailers.
@Frogboyx1Gaming on X
As if that was not enough fuel to the fire, fans now believe Rockstar Games itself may already be preparing for preorders behind the scenes. X user @SanjuD19928 reportedly discovered a hidden analytics script labelled ‘cta_preorder’ inspecting the GTA 6 website code. The tag could stand for ‘call to action – preorder,’ suggesting Rockstar is preparing all the necessary menu and system for GTA 6 preorder.
Interestingly, this lines up with what fans have been piecing together over the past week. As we previously reported, a now-deleted Reddit post claimed that a ‘large UK retailer’ had informed staff that GTA 6 preorders would begin on May 12, with a £69.99 price tag. Fans also spotted other suspicious activity surrounding PlayStation as it drummed up the game’s hype. Including a missing slot on the PS Store’s 2026 Great Games page, a strangely empty PSN Deals section, and even a promotional email offering players a PS5 to play the game.
Historically, major Rockstar reveals tend to land close to Take-Two investor meetings, and this year’s earnings call falls on May 21. So yes, there is a very real chance that GTA 6 preorders — and maybe even Trailer 3 — could finally show up next week, before Take-Two executives have to answer some increasingly awkward questions.
