Take-Two Interactive, the company behind Rockstar Games and the Grand Theft Auto series, said on November 9, 2026, that pre-orders for GTA 6 are tracking far above its initial expectations. CEO Strauss Zelnick made the comment on the company's fiscal second-quarter 2027 earnings call, a live investor call held alongside its quarterly financial report. The same update also said development is complete and the launch date still stands.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Earnings release | November 9, 2026 |
| Quarter reported | Fiscal Q2 2027, ended September 30, 2026 |
| GTA 6 pre-orders | Tracking far in excess of initial expectations; no count given |
| GTA 6 release date | November 19, 2026 |
| Fiscal Q2 2027 net bookings | $1.60 billion, down 18% from $1.96 billion |
| FY2027 net bookings outlook | $8.0 billion to $8.2 billion, reiterated (year ends March 31, 2027) |
| Fiscal Q3 net bookings outlook | $3.35 billion to $3.50 billion (quarter ends December 31, 2026) |
GTA 6 Pre-Orders Are Tracking Far Above Take-Two's Expectations
On the call, Zelnick said, "Pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI are tracking far in excess of our initial expectations, and we know that the numbers will speak for themselves soon enough." The earnings release used similar language, saying pre-orders were continuing to reach unprecedented levels. Chief Financial Officer Lainie Goldstein called the level of pre-orders "extraordinary."
Asked what was driving demand, Zelnick said the game is widely anticipated, consumers appear very excited, and early press coverage has been universally positive. He also said the company still isn't ready to declare victory.
For players, the takeaway is that Take-Two sees strong early interest but hasn't put a number on it. If you were hoping for a sales figure from this update, there isn't one.
Rockstar Has Completed GTA 6 Development, and Preloads Are Rolling Out
Zelnick said, "Right now, Rockstar has completed the development of GTA VI." He added that the marketing campaign is underway and "fully baked," and that what's left is to deliver the product to consumers technically.
Karl Slatoff, Take-Two's president, said preloads are rolling out across the world. A preload lets you download the game before it unlocks on launch day, so it's ready to go when the release arrives.
The marketing push has been large. An extended look at the game premiered on Netflix and became the platform's most viewed title for the week, drawing 31 million people in its first four days. Three tracks from the official soundtrack also debuted in the top 10 of their Billboard charts.
GTA 6 Is Still Set for November 19, 2026 on PlayStation and Xbox
Take-Two's release lists GTA VI for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, 2026, and Zelnick referred to the same date on the call. The update came out ten days before launch, and nothing in it suggested a change to the schedule.
The release doesn't list a PC version, and Zelnick described GTA VI as available on two consoles when it launches. If you're deciding which system to play it on, those are the two platforms the company has named.
What Take-Two Expects From the Quarter GTA 6 Launches In
Take-Two's fiscal third quarter runs through December 31, 2026, and includes the GTA 6 launch. The company expects that quarter's net bookings to land between $3.35 billion and $3.50 billion, up from $1.76 billion in the same quarter last year. Net bookings is the operating measure Take-Two uses to track sales, covering games and services sold digitally or in stores during a period.
The forecast rests on a few assumptions the company laid out on the call:
- Recurrent consumer spending, which covers ongoing purchases such as add-on content and in-game items, is expected to rise about 12%.
- Strong growth for the GTA series is tied to sales of GTA VI: Ultimate Edition, which includes add-on content.
- Operating expenses are expected to rise about 21% from a year earlier, mainly because of marketing for the launch.
Goldstein said most of that marketing will land in the third quarter, with some continuing into the fourth.
The full-year outlook was also reiterated, and the earnings release says it is primarily driven by the GTA VI launch and execution across the company's portfolio. Zelnick called fiscal 2027 "an historic year" for Take-Two. The quarter that just ended was weaker overall: NBA 2K27 came in below Take-Two's forecast, while the GTA series exceeded it.
Take-Two also expects Rockstar Games, the label behind GTA, to make up roughly 37% of net bookings this year. These are company-wide figures. Take-Two didn't give a GTA VI sales forecast, and it didn't say how much of its outlook comes from the game itself.
What Take-Two Has Not Confirmed About GTA 6 Pre-Orders
Take-Two didn't give a pre-order count in its release or on the call. When asked why the strong pre-order trend wasn't built into guidance, Zelnick said the company tends to avoid claiming success before a launch. "There is really no need to update numbers right now," he added.
The quarter's figures are also preliminary. Take-Two said final data will appear in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2026.
Zelnick said the company will describe what's happening once it has some experience after launch. No date was given for that update.
