New York, Feb 4, 2026, 05:24 ET — Premarket
- TTWO closed down 4.4% at $212.17 but jumped more than 5% in after-hours trading following its earnings report
- Take-Two lifted its fiscal 2026 net bookings forecast to a range of $6.65 billion to $6.7 billion
- Investors await further details on GTA VI and Take-Two’s fiscal 2027 outlook, due in May
Shares of Take-Two Interactive Software looked poised for volatility before Wednesday’s open after the videogame publisher raised its full-year net bookings forecast and confirmed a Nov. 19 release date for “Grand Theft Auto VI.” The stock closed Tuesday down 4.4% at $212.17, then climbed more than 5% in after-hours trading. (Reuters)
The update arrives as investors wrestle with a lengthy pause between major releases in a market growing less tolerant of delays. For Take-Two, the next “Grand Theft Auto” remains the key unknown, despite sports and mobile titles shouldering more of the weekly revenue load.
Traders often zero in on net bookings at Take-Two. This figure measures what the company sold during the period, covering digital game sales and in-game spending. It can react quicker than reported revenue, especially when players snap up virtual currency or extra content.
Take-Two reported a 28% rise in third-quarter net bookings, hitting $1.76 billion. Recurrent consumer spending accounted for 76% of that figure. GAAP net revenue stood at $1.70 billion, while the company recorded a GAAP net loss of $92.9 million, or $0.50 per share. CEO Strauss Zelnick reiterated the expectation for “record levels of Net Bookings in Fiscal 2027,” driven by the launch of GTA VI. (Take-Two Interactive)
Executives took the earnings call to calm jitters about generative AI in gaming, describing Google’s world-building tech as an early prototype—nowhere near a full game engine. They emphasized that creating flagship titles involves a slow, technical process, far beyond just generating a map.
Take-Two forecasted net bookings between $1.51 billion and $1.56 billion for the fiscal fourth quarter ending March 31. Its upcoming lineup includes “Sid Meier’s Civilization VII” on Apple Arcade, “PGA TOUR 2K25” for Switch 2, and “WWE 2K26,” according to the company’s earnings release. The firm also said it plans to share its initial fiscal 2027 guidance alongside its Q4 results in May. (Take-Two Interactive)
Take-Two knows all too well how fast sentiment flips when the GTA release date moves. After it pushed “GTA VI” to Nov. 19 next year, D.A. Davidson analyst Wyatt Swanson warned that “rushed games with flaws often never recover,” suggesting the delay could safeguard the title’s sales potential. (Reuters)
The rest of the portfolio matters, too. Take-Two’s 2K sports titles face off routinely against Electronic Arts, with annual releases that can steady results but hinge largely on player spending post-purchase. Mobile, on the other hand, has struggled with slower growth and rising costs just to attract users.
But the bar remains steep. Any further delay in the GTA VI schedule, or a steeper drop in in-game spending, would sting well before the blockbuster launch. The upgraded outlook also depends on the mobile rebound sustaining into the March quarter.
Traders are eyeing whether the after-hours rally sticks once regular trading kicks off, and how swiftly analysts update their models following the guidance boost. The next major event is Take-Two’s May quarterly report, where the company is set to provide its first full outlook for fiscal 2027.
